Hi, I just purchased my first Cadillac in January. Really love the ATS. After about a month my air conditioning started to smell of mold. I have had it in and out of service and made many phone calls to the dealership. They are minimizing the problem telling me there is mold everywhere, even in your home. Which there is, but if you can smell it, there is an abundance of it and therefore a problem. The service manager told me he drove the same car and he noticed a smell too. I did not smell anything in the two loaners I drove. Also, today the service manager told me that GM has a problem with their air conditioning smelling of mold. I don't buy that, and I don't think GM would really like him telling customers that. Any thoughts?

Hoosier Daddy

04-16-13, 05:25 PM

Hi, I just purchased my first Cadillac in January. Really love the ATS. After about a month my air conditioning started to smell of mold. I have had it in and out of service and made many phone calls to the dealership. They are minimizing the problem telling me there is mold everywhere, even in your home. Which there is, but if you can smell it, there is an abundance of it and therefore a problem. The service manager told me he drove the same car and he noticed a smell too. I did not smell anything in the two loaners I drove. Also, today the service manager told me that GM has a problem with their air conditioning smelling of mold. I don't buy that, and I don't think GM would really like him telling customers that. Any thoughts?
It's impossible to say based just on a forum post if there is something wrong with the car but it certainly sounds like there is.

It sounds like you may have a dealer problem. There are good dealers and bad dealers and good dealers having a bad day. Fortunately Cadillac assigns support people to these forums to help in these situations.

Here is a link in these forums to send them a private message: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=105125 (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=105125)

JulieB

04-16-13, 06:00 PM

Thanks Hoosier, there is a lot more to the story, that was the short version. I don't feel they have been honest since the beginning of the problem. They said is was the drain, but then I would have had water in the cabin and there was not, they have installed an after blow but it still smells, the mold is already in the system. Now they want to spray something else in it on Thursday but they are calling it a temporary fix. I don't think I should have to live with this smell in a new car as they are trying to convince me it's ok.

cullama213

05-30-13, 11:18 PM

Is it moldy all the time? Or just when it first starts?

My AC smells funky when it first starts, but then is normal about five seconds later.

pever

05-30-13, 11:42 PM

The condensate drains to the outside. If that line is blocked, be it by dirt or insects, etc., then you get problems of a primordial soup developing... Perhaps even at risk of humidifier fever type problems. If you have a frail immune system this is especially "not good". Get a good dealer to check the system.

ATS_maxblack

05-31-13, 07:41 AM

I am also noticing a mold stink when I first start the car. I have tried some tests by turning the ac off before shutting the car off and it reduces or eliminates the smell when I get back in. This result tells me that there might be an issue with the system condensation or moisture left over after shutdown.

Bertha D Blues

05-31-13, 09:17 AM

First, I don't have a problem with mold in my ATS. If you suspect that you do, the only way to be certain that it's mold is to test for it. You can get mold test kits at the home center and you'll need two of them. You want to test the air inside the car, but also, the ambiant air outside. Compare the results of the two tests. If the mold level is higher inside the car then it should be sanitized. If the inside and outside mold levels are the same (there's mold everywhere), then something else is causing the smell. About 10 years ago I had mold in my truck, which I eliminated with a product called Frigifresh. I sprayed it directly into the plenum intake under the dash. I still have that truck but mold never returned. Bert

Cadillac Cust Svc

05-31-13, 11:15 AM

First, I don't have a problem with mold in my ATS. If you suspect that you do, the only way to be certain that it's mold is to test for it. You can get mold test kits at the home center and you'll need two of them. You want to test the air inside the car, but also, the ambiant air outside. Compare the results of the two tests. If the mold level is higher inside the car then it should be sanitized. If the inside and outside mold levels are the same (there's mold everywhere), then something else is causing the smell. About 10 years ago I had mold in my truck, which I eliminated with a product called Frigifresh. I sprayed it directly into the plenum intake under the dash. I still have that truck but mold never returned. Bert

Hello Bertha D Blues,

Thanks for sharing this knowledge on the forum. I am sure the other members appreciate your insight on the mold issue and what you did you solve it!

Regards,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Service

amunderdog

05-31-13, 11:53 AM

http://youtu.be/VrVc_FXrbHY

Cadillac Cust Svc

05-31-13, 11:54 AM

I am also noticing a mold stink when I first start the car. I have tried some tests by turning the ac off before shutting the car off and it reduces or eliminates the smell when I get back in. This result tells me that there might be an issue with the system condensation or moisture left over after shutdown.

Hello ATS_maxblack,

I am sorry you are also experiencing a mold smell when you start your vehicle. Bertha D Blues did offer some good insight on getting a mold test kit with following procedures. Please reach out to us if you would like to discuss any concerns or issues.

Regards,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Service

GL13ATS

06-09-13, 12:29 PM

I am also having the funky smell on start up from the air conditioning. It clears up after 10 seconds or so, but I agree we should not be having this issue from brand new cars. Please keep us posted on what you find out from the dealers.

cdp

06-09-13, 01:18 PM

I have the musty smell upon start up as well. Goes away after a few seconds. Will ask dealer to look into it at my next service.

NoVA_ATS

07-12-13, 11:21 AM

Mine started doing it too after a bad storm. History with other GM's (2010 Buick Lacrosse, 2006 Impala, etc.) tells me its the Cabin Air filter and it needs to be replaced. I ordered one from RockAuto and will swap out as soon as it arrives. When I have results (hopefully next week), I will post.

Cadillac Cust Svc

07-12-13, 12:43 PM

Mine started doing it too after a bad storm. History with other GM's (2010 Buick Lacrosse, 2006 Impala, etc.) tells me its the Cabin Air filter and it needs to be replaced. I ordered one from RockAuto and will swap out as soon as it arrives. When I have results (hopefully next week), I will post.

Hello NoVA_ATS,

I apologize for any trouble you have been having with your vehicle and its moldy air conditioning. I see you have ordered a part to switch out the cabin air filter. I will be sure to look out for your update on the situation. If you would like to further discuss any concern or if you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us via private message.

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

bluecrayon

07-17-13, 12:02 AM

Same issue here....recently noticed it with hot weather. Parking after using a/c then upon startup, smells funny then goes away after 10 seconds.

NoVA_ATS

07-21-13, 11:04 AM

So I replaced the cabin air filter, and it definitely got better. Not completely fixed, but maybe it just needs to run a few times.

The part number for the air filter is CF185. I bought mine from Rock Auto for approx. $13. I think you can get the filter replaced by Cadillac for free, but I live too far away for take it there for a small thing like this, and it is pretty simple, once you figure it out...below I have put directions so you don't have to waste too much time.

To replace the cabin air filter, remote the screw in the middle of the CD player. It is a phillips (in all reality it is just a pin). Once you get that pin out, you will notice that there is a washer looking piece of plastic still there, it is the remainder of the clip assembly. That needs to be removed carefully. If you are not able to get it out without tearing it up, take off your trim (the replaceable silver/plum/woodgrain) by taking off two 7mm bolts on the right side, behind the right compartment, and push straight down on the clip to ensure no damage is done to it. Once you have the pin out, the entire CD player/shelf assembly will come straight out towards you. Once you have that out, you will see a black compartments that says DOWN on it. That is the cabin air filter door. Remove it by depressing the clips, and take the airfilter out. Make sure to note which way the airflow is going. Pop the new one in, and put the car back together in the exact reverse.

Good luck!

unclemoose

07-23-13, 10:56 PM

I have the same issue. It's only on start up, but is most definitely a moldy/musty ac smell that goes away after a few seconds. Did anyone else get this issue resolved? Did it come back?

GL13ATS

08-27-13, 08:28 PM

Update: took my car into the dealer in FWB Florida and asked them to change out the cabin air filter. They kept it for a day, but when I picked it up the only thing they did was reprogrammed the HVAC system to &ldquo;enable after blow feature.&rdquo; Tech said they called corporate and this was the only fix. They did not change out the filter.
Waiting to see what affect if any this fix has. Basically, seems they realize there is a problem and came up with the after blow feature to dry out the system after turning the car off. (even though they&rsquo;re saying there is no problem).
If this doesn&rsquo;t work, I will change out the cabin air filter myself (thanks for the directions NoVA_ATS posted). I may do it anyway just to see what it looks/smells like.

BriansZ

08-27-13, 08:43 PM

We have this same problem. The cadillac dealer set the fan to turn on after the car is off and sprayed something in the system. It was fine for a couple weeks but has returned. We like the car, but this is unacceptable. And it does go away after startup, but we shouldn't have to deal with this on a new $40k+ car. My wife recently made another appointment to get this looked at but judging from this thread I see others have the same problem.

JavaGirl

08-28-13, 02:30 AM

This is what I do to take care of it: when I get within a minute of my destination, I turn off the AC button in the middle of CUE, but leave the fan on at least 1/2 blast for the last minute to blow out the vents without any chilled air being used. Then when I use the car the next time, all is okay.

This is not nice for a luxury automobile, but it does give a work-around...

Illini333

09-02-13, 08:43 AM

I have the same issue as well for the first 5 seconds when I start the car. I have never had this issue with a car before and am surprised a luxury car would have it. I have noticed if I shut off the a/c a minute before my destination and put the fan on full blast it seems to help when I start my car. The issue is I live in Austin where the temp is always around or above 100 so it gets a little warm in the car. Frustrating.......

flycaster

09-04-13, 06:25 PM

Got the same problem here in SoFL - smell on start up, but disappears after a few seconds. Will bring it up to the dealer tomorrow.

NVHGuru

09-04-13, 10:32 PM

I'm not sure if this is the same issue, but I have a moldy smell which seems worst when I get in the car. I thought it may be just the "new car smell", but I have had my ATS for 3 months and it is not getting any better. It may seem strange, but I think it is coming from the leather steering wheel cover as I can smell it on my hands after driving for a while. I will investigate closely for a few more days then talk to my dealer. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?

briterco

09-06-13, 05:43 PM

We purchased the ATS Nov 2012. Started noticing the same musty smell this summer. Took it in to the dealer (we've bought 10 Caddies from them). First attempt they tried to clean out the HVAC and the deodorizer they sprayed made it smell worse. The musty smell never went away. Took it back last week. They have had to take out the WHOLE dash, center console and passenger seat out. (that is our car in the pic!) They are replacing something plus all the insulation because some condensation has soaked in. The service mechanic we spoke with said it looks like a design flaw where a line can get pushed into a condensation pan internally so it isn't draining properly and water sits there, getting moldy. He also said it can't be seen when it is reassembled so he can't be sure it the line sits correctly or not. Sounds like it might come back again.

Talking to the GM of the dealership, he said one of the other employees there also mentioned having the same smell. Sounds like a major design flaw and if the fix is to to the disassembly like they've done to our ATS, that is a BIG problem for GM!

142401

GJB

09-06-13, 06:32 PM

You are a brave person: :suspense: I would have used air freshener trees before I let them do that to my car. I'm interested if they get humpty back together right, please let us know.

GJB

09-06-13, 09:21 PM

So I replaced the cabin air filter, and it definitely got better. Not completely fixed, but maybe it just needs to run a few times.

The part number for the air filter is CF185. I bought mine from Rock Auto for approx. $13. I think you can get the filter replaced by Cadillac for free, but I live too far away for take it there for a small thing like this, and it is pretty simple, once you figure it out...below I have put directions so you don't have to waste too much time.

To replace the cabin air filter, remote the screw in the middle of the CD player. It is a phillips (in all reality it is just a pin). Once you get that pin out, you will notice that there is a washer looking piece of plastic still there, it is the remainder of the clip assembly. That needs to be removed carefully. If you are not able to get it out without tearing it up, take off your trim (the replaceable silver/plum/woodgrain) by taking off two 7mm bolts on the right side, behind the right compartment, and push straight down on the clip to ensure no damage is done to it. Once you have the pin out, the entire CD player/shelf assembly will come straight out towards you. Once you have that out, you will see a black compartments that says DOWN on it. That is the cabin air filter door. Remove it by depressing the clips, and take the airfilter out. Make sure to note which way the airflow is going. Pop the new one in, and put the car back together in the exact reverse.

Good luck!

Thanks NoVa I was finally able to take out the cd player I never use and get some shelf space and not listen to it spin up when I open the door to boot. I just left the Phillips pin out because that shelf is in there pretty snug and this way its now just a quick filter replacement. I was surprised how dirty mine was in less than 4 months.

UPDATE. Had to put the CD player back in. When I went to drive the car after taking out the player CUE Screen stayed blank, slid the player back in and works great. And that spin sound when you open the door is not the CD player (sounds like its coming from there) so it must be the CUE.

briterco

09-07-13, 03:09 PM

You are a brave person: :suspense: I would have used air freshener trees before I let them do that to my car. I'm interested if they get humpty back together right, please let us know.

We shall see. Didn't actually know the procedure was going to be this extreme. When we went there yesterday, they kept saying "you really don't want to see it".... and they might not have liked that we took a pic. The dealership has been really good so I think they'll get humpty back together. If not, we won a lemon case years ago over an XLR and aren't afraid to go down that path again if we have to.

Robb63

09-07-13, 05:55 PM

Mine just started having this "smell" issue this week. It was two days after I got the car washed (not that I haven't had it washed before!), but it hasn't rained this week so that would be the last time the car got wet (if that is a cause). Mine is a terrible moldy smell for about ten seconds after starting the car with the A/C on.
Any updates from folks dealing with the issue?? I'm going to have to take it to the dealer this week.

GJB

09-07-13, 09:45 PM

We shall see. Didn't actually know the procedure was going to be this extreme. When we went there yesterday, they kept saying "you really don't want to see it".... and they might not have liked that we took a pic. The dealership has been really good so I think they'll get humpty back together. If not, we won a lemon case years ago over an XLR and aren't afraid to go down that path again if we have to.

Briterco, I hear you on the ATS "Extreme Makeover Edition". You have the right attitude, you have been a with them for years and it looks like they are willing to go to "extremes" to fix your issue. You know you have options if things don't go well and that picture can't hurt your case if it went to that (if the dash don't fit you must acquit) makes no sense just had to throw that in. Good on you.

Cadillac Cust Svc

09-07-13, 09:52 PM

Hello everyone,

I see a lot of members on this thread are experiencing this issue. I would be more than happy to assist you in working with the dealership in regards to this issue. I have documented your concerns and forwarded it to a group in our organization. Please private message Laura or myself if you have any concerns regarding this issue. The information we would need would be your name, contact info, VIN, mileage, and dealership you are working with. You can also reach out to us via email at socialmedia@gm.com. If you do send an email, please be sure to include “ATTN GREG OR LAURA” in the subject line so that it gets delivered straight to one of us. Thank you very much for your time.

Gregory W.
Cadillac Customer Care

GJB

09-10-13, 12:18 PM

We shall see. Didn't actually know the procedure was going to be this extreme. When we went there yesterday, they kept saying "you really don't want to see it".... and they might not have liked that we took a pic. The dealership has been really good so I think they'll get humpty back together. If not, we won a lemon case years ago over an XLR and aren't afraid to go down that path again if we have to.

So did the service rep come out and tell you sorry, but we did everything we could but we lost her........

Bryce2.0T

09-11-13, 12:43 AM

Theres not much to do folks... shitty design flaw, thats all

BriansZ

09-11-13, 12:48 PM

My wife's car has been in the dealership since Monday due to this. The first time in I thought it might just be a clogged drain tube, but it seems more complicated. While I agree with Bryce that it's a design flaw, hopefully Cadillac is able to come up with a solution.

Others have mentioned turning the AC compressor off and just running the fan the last few minutes eliminates the odor, so a software update could do that automatically after shutoff. Or, if water is trapped within the system maybe an additional drain will need to be added, but I'm sure once engineering is able to look at it they will get it fixed.

On the other hand, I'm glad this car is a lease. Plus we've had a 3.6 as a loaner, so it's been a good opportunity to compare this car with our 2.0T.

GJB

09-11-13, 12:59 PM

I know they did an HVAC update does anyone know if they updated the program for the fan to run?

BriansZ, So what do you think of your loaner 3.6?

unclemoose

09-11-13, 01:05 PM

I had the hvac update and my smell continued. My guess it's a drainage issue that needs to be fixed, the fan run on would be a short term band aid.

GJB

09-11-13, 01:21 PM

Agree on the short term band aid. My AC sure drains a lot of water so it's not cloged or it would drain/leak into the cabin which would really give a musty smell all the time.

unclemoose

09-11-13, 01:25 PM

Yeah, good point, if it's fully clogged it would eventually get into the ductwork or cabin. It will be interesting to see what the solution its

Cadillac Cust Svc

09-11-13, 03:45 PM

My wife's car has been in the dealership since Monday due to this. The first time in I thought it might just be a clogged drain tube, but it seems more complicated. While I agree with Bryce that it's a design flaw, hopefully Cadillac is able to come up with a solution.

Others have mentioned turning the AC compressor off and just running the fan the last few minutes eliminates the odor, so a software update could do that automatically after shutoff. Or, if water is trapped within the system maybe an additional drain will need to be added, but I'm sure once engineering is able to look at it they will get it fixed.

On the other hand, I'm glad this car is a lease. Plus we've had a 3.6 as a loaner, so it's been a good opportunity to compare this car with our 2.0T.

Hello BriansZ,

I am sorry your wife's vehicle has been at the dealership for a few days trying to resolve the moldy AC concern. Please keep us posted on the outcome after you hear from the dealer. If you would like to further discuss your current situation with us or ever have additional concerns or questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

JavaGirl

09-11-13, 05:16 PM

I don't see how it could be liquid pooling up. If it were, it does not seem that a fan blast for a minute would eliminate it. It seems to me to be just a thin mist of AC condensation that must not be allowed to remain in the duct work. It seems to me that the fan blowing it out removes the mist and does not let the condensation remain on the surface for a long time after turning the car off. Of course I am speculating on what seems logical based on how my car behaves, and really I don't know too much about cars.

So, for those of you who do know a lot about cars, can you explain how other cars are designed to keep this from happening?

Thank you.

briterco

09-15-13, 12:13 PM

So did the service rep come out and tell you sorry, but we did everything we could but we lost her........

Well...we are still waiting on the final outcome. As far as we know, she's still on life support. Tomorrow will be day 18 in the shop. That plus the first time in makes for a total of 20 days. Ohio's lemon law is a total of 30 days in the shop within a 1 year period qualifies to make a claim. We've not heard anything from the dealership on expected completion. They've lent us a sweet XTS in the meantime. We are just letting the days tick away at this point....

GJB

09-15-13, 03:35 PM

Wow I figured you were back in the ATS and chillin..Keep the meter running and you have options while you enjoy the XTS, what's not to like.

Bryce2.0T

09-16-13, 05:00 PM

Sadly, I'm not shocked to hear this. What are they expecting to do? Re design the entire HVAC system? I doubt it. This, as well as the wide spread of AM/FM complaints are 2 things GM is ignoring and not willing to take action upon. I don't care what type of solution the "high speed fan" could fix before the vehicle is turned off. These are 40k+ luxury sports cars. Sorry but using that as a band-aid just won't cut it for me.

bluecrayon

09-17-13, 12:25 AM

I asked about this several weeks ago as well...I was told "it's normal due to an additive put in the system and will go away eventually". Even though I said I'd wait a few months and address it at my first oil change, I'm not convinced it'll go away. I plan on having it checked out when it's in for an oil change in a couple months.

catmando

09-17-13, 01:49 PM

I have asked people from the Cadillac engineering team and the answer I got is this: they are aware of the problem - it is condensation from the ac evaporator core not draining properly and pooling in the evaporator case. Cadillac is working on the appropriate fix and will issue it to dealers once it is finalized.

GJB

09-17-13, 06:47 PM

I asked about this several weeks ago as well...I was told "it's normal due to an additive put in the system and will go away eventually". Even though I said I'd wait a few months and address it at my first oil change, I'm not convinced it'll go away. I plan on having it checked out when it's in for an oil change in a couple months.

Really??? I would call them on that one, a sealed system that has an additive that smells moldy/musty. That up there with me being told FM HD radio is satellite. catmando got it right.

catmando

09-24-13, 02:14 PM

The latest I have heard from Cadillac engineering is that the suspected cause is the drain hose being inserted too far into the condensate drain pan, not allowing all the condensate to drain. I believe and official bulletin will be released to dealers shortly on how to correct the problem.

AtlantaGuy00

10-23-13, 12:56 AM

Any updates? Mine started doing this too. It's pretty funky for about 10 seconds. I remote start the car just to avoid smelling it. The car is a year old and only has 7000 miles on it. Between the noisy heater, creaky seat, and now the smelly a/c I really regret buying this car. I'm thinking of trading it for something else and taking the hit on depreciation.

off1c3r

10-23-13, 01:43 PM

Anyone with a 2014 (late 2013 build) have this issue or is it limited to the 2013s?

DiabloMike

10-23-13, 01:54 PM

fortunately I can live without AC for a month or so down here in SoFla over the 'winter', but there needs to be a fix, soon :)

tnf

10-29-13, 01:25 PM

My dealership found the problem was the drain tube, fixed it, and sprayed something in to fix the mold. Not sure if was a service update but it progressively got worse.

Cadillac Cust Svc

10-29-13, 02:03 PM

My dealership found the problem was the drain tube, fixed it, and sprayed something in to fix the mold. Not sure if was a service update but it progressively got worse.

Hello tnf,

Thank you for sharing this information. I am glad your dealer found the problem with your vehicle and was able to resolve this concern. If additional questions or concerns arise, please contact us so we can assist.

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

----------

Any updates? Mine started doing this too. It's pretty funky for about 10 seconds. I remote start the car just to avoid smelling it. The car is a year old and only has 7000 miles on it. Between the noisy heater, creaky seat, and now the smelly a/c I really regret buying this car. I'm thinking of trading it for something else and taking the hit on depreciation.

Hello AtlantaGuy00,

I apologize you are unhappy with your vehicle due to your current situation. I understand your frustration due to your vehicle concerns. Please contact me via private message so we can further discuss this and work towards a resolution.

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

GJB

10-29-13, 02:09 PM

My dealership found the problem was the drain tube, fixed it, and sprayed something in to fix the mold. Not sure if was a service update but it progressively got worse.

Was you dealer more specific as to what was wrong with the drain tube and how invasive the procedure is?

DiabloMike

10-29-13, 02:13 PM

Anyone with a 2014 (late 2013 build) have this issue or is it limited to the 2013s?I drove a 14 all weekend while the dealer had mine, and I never noticed the smell...it only had 5K miles on it, and may not have developed the issue yet however.

JavaGirl

10-29-13, 02:45 PM

I drove a 14 all weekend while the dealer had mine, and I never noticed the smell...it only had 5K miles on it, and may not have developed the issue yet however.

My 2014 has the stinky AC. It started a day or two after I bought it.

Caddy16

10-29-13, 06:21 PM

I've waited on this moment and finally, I get my new caddy. And it stinks to high heaven. What in the world is going on. I'm too embarrassed to ride anyone. I have sprayed Lysol and bought all kinds of scents and put in there and it still stinks. If they can't fix it, it will have to go. I can't afford it.

off1c3r

10-29-13, 07:08 PM

I drove a 14 all weekend while the dealer had mine, and I never noticed the smell...it only had 5K miles on it, and may not have developed the issue yet however.

My 2014 has the stinky AC. It started a day or two after I bought it.

Thanks. Who knows? Maybe it was fixed at the factory (late 2013 builds) already for all future models. That's good hope for all the current owners. You know how it is. Its extremely fast to fix the issue for future builds, but the real time and investment comes when the bulletin and fix is issued for dealers.

GJB

10-29-13, 07:14 PM

My driveway is on a pretty good incline and when I pull in it drains a fair amount of water so my guess is if it were not for that incline water wood pool in the drip pan and cause the musty smell.

Bryce2.0T

10-30-13, 07:26 PM

Hurry up Cadillac, make a damn TSB lol

louie1487

10-30-13, 10:03 PM

I went to the dealer and they had an update for this issue. The update will allow the blower motor to run after thecar has been turned off to air out the vents to prevent buildup.

ewired

10-30-13, 10:48 PM

I went to the dealer and they had an update for this issue. The update will allow the blower motor to run after thecar has been turned off to air out the vents to prevent buildup.
Has anyone confirmed this. I have had the update for awhile. I have never heard the blower motor keep or come after shutdown.

I usually force the interior recirculation on then use auto after that and adjust temp up/ down to control fan speed.

off1c3r

10-31-13, 08:53 AM

I went to the dealer and they had an update for this issue. The update will allow the blower motor to run after thecar has been turned off to air out the vents to prevent buildup.

That doesn't seem like a fix to me. More like a cover.

Bryce2.0T

11-01-13, 05:37 PM

That doesn't seem like a fix to me. More like a cover.

Nailed it....

GJB

11-01-13, 05:41 PM

Nailed it....

In the IT world we just call it a work around.

redbbq

11-17-13, 03:41 PM

Hey you moldy AC people. Here is a product that may help. It looks like its made in Germany and for professional use specifically to kill stuff that grows on the AC condenser. I don't have any experience with this but thought it may benefit some folks here. Check out the product description and reviews on Amazon. This could be a way to mitigate the problem. Please report back if this works. Good luck.

Einszett Klima Cleaner
"A professional air conditioner cleaner that effectively removes odors caused by mold, fungus, pollen, nicotine and dust. While other products mask odors, Klima-Cleaner uses active foam to directly clean and remove odor causing agents from the evaporator core of the air conditioner system for fresh and clean air that lasts for months. Klima-Cleaner is applied by removing the blower fan and inserting the supplied spray tube through the intake vent which leads directly to the evaporator. For best results, apply every 3-6 months. Klima-Cleaner is water-based and does not contain any harsh chemicals. Recommended for professional application only. On certain vehicle makes, damage may occur if product is not applied properly. If uncertain about application, have a certified mechanic apply product or use einszett 911104 Klima-Cleaner Easy-To-Use (ETU) which doesn't require any disassembly."

I've had the HVAC update, but the blower doesn't run after the car is shut off. Perhaps, one has to ask for this?
Anyway, as I've seen several utube videos (eg, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzYlp9dm7AI) from "professionals" who recommend blowing a Lysol type product into the external cabin air intake ducts, I'm thinking that although this is temporary, it does seem to work. However, before I use Lysol, I'd first like to know if Lysol will do any damage to the parts it comes in contact with? Yeah, I know this is temporary relief, but what the hell, it is an easy enough workaround.

flycaster

11-18-13, 10:09 PM

Making this a separate post. Had to speak to my dealership's GM about an insurance policy problem, and then asked him for the skinny on the stinky AC issue. He said that his dealership had found the fix, and their fix was adopted by Caddy. Although the fix was already mentioned in this thread (catmando, #46), I'd like to re-inforce it: The drain hose is inserted too far into the condensate drain pan, not allowing all the condensate to drain. The dealership will adjust the drain hose to its proper length.

JavaGirl

11-18-13, 10:32 PM

When will this be rolled out into a TSB by GM for all other dealerships?

flycaster

11-18-13, 10:41 PM

I have no idea, but would suggest that you speak to your dealership about this fix. My dealership's GM definitely told me that Caddy was adopting his fix.

glenroebuck

11-19-13, 11:14 AM

Nice I too have the EWWWW what is that smell problem when it first starts up.

General Lee 01

11-27-13, 11:15 PM

Cadillac dealerships all have a repair bulletin for this. Call them and make a service appointment and they will fix it. Had mine done this past summer. Call them and they know exactly what to do to fix it. There is no mystery to solve here.

GJB

11-28-13, 11:09 AM

Cadillac dealerships all have a repair bulletin for this. Call them and make a service appointment and they will fix it. Had mine done this past summer. Call them and they know exactly what to do to fix it. There is no mystery to solve here.

I've checked the TSBs and the only one that addresses this issues has them use the spray that kills the mold/smell. Do you know the TSB #?

flycaster

11-28-13, 12:41 PM

I've checked the TSBs and the only one that addresses this issues has them use the spray that kills the mold/smell. Do you know the TSB #?

Yeah, spraying is a quick, but a very temporary and potentially harmful fix for the smell issue. I say harmful because the spraying most likely doesn't get everything (probably unless you spray weekly, a definite PITA) and eventually there will be a build up of bacteria and mold that can reach unhealthy levels. I say if you have the smell, don't wait, have faith in the tranny/exhaust fix...if you trust your dealership to do the job right.

General Lee 01

12-01-13, 12:36 PM

I've checked the TSBs and the only one that addresses this issues has them use the spray that kills the mold/smell. Do you know the TSB #?

Bulletin# 99-01-39-004D. Paperwork states "a/c drain misalignment, pulled carpet back, check the drain as per bulletin, realign drain as per bulletin, for this complaint deodorize the hvac box with part# 12377952 as per bulletin# 99-01-39-004D."

I think the hose gets fixed and then they spray to kill what has already grown in there.

cadilover96

12-22-13, 11:21 AM

I just bought my ATS in September and I noticed a moldy smell this week. Way to soon to have issues such as this.

catmando

03-17-14, 03:12 PM

I believe PIC5730 is the repair bulletin that addresses the drain hose. There is also a change to the logic to allow the blower to run to dry out the drain pan after the car stops. It will come on about ten minutes after the car is turned off and run for five minutes or so. These two fixes should take care of the problem in most cases. To fix the drain hose properly, the culprit should be replaced with part number 2312009, not just rearrange the original hose.

nyinstaller

03-17-14, 04:29 PM

I have went to the dealership and have had the drain FIX or no so much fix.

more than 2 months since all that was done and still have the mold smell on start up.

DiabloMike

03-17-14, 09:51 PM

I have went to the dealership and have had the drain FIX or no so much fix.

more than 2 months since all that was done and still have the mold smell on start up.really?
That sucks. Glad I didn't get it done.

Johan said his dads is still doing it too....summer is coming fast, we need non stinky A/C!

Cadillac Cust Svc

03-18-14, 11:27 AM

I have went to the dealership and have had the drain FIX or no so much fix.

more than 2 months since all that was done and still have the mold smell on start up.

Hi nyinstaller,

I am sorry to hear that the fix did not correct the mold smell in your car. If you would like, I can look into the issue and contact the dealership on your behalf regarding a follow-up visit. If you can send me a PM with your VIN and contact information I can open a case for you. Hope to hear from you soon.

Austin J.
Cadillac Customer Care

nyinstaller

03-19-14, 12:56 PM

Hi nyinstaller, I am sorry to hear that the fix did not correct the mold smell in your car. If you would like, I can look into the issue and contact the dealership on your behalf regarding a follow-up visit. If you can send me a PM with your VIN and contact information I can open a case for you. Hope to hear from you soon. Austin J. Cadillac Customer Care

Sent

rolyzglobe

03-24-14, 12:30 PM

I am having the same exact issue. I have had my car for about 4 months and noticed the issue began about a month ago. When I first start the car, a vinegar like smell comes out of the A/C. I have to run the A/C for about 20 seconds for the smell to leave. The smell got so bad that I made a appointment at the dealer to have it fixed.

I have also recently been suffering from dizzyness and it also began around the same time the issue started. I hope it is not related to any mold problems. Either way, I will also be checking with my doctor.

I will let you know what my dealer tells me.

DEVGRU

04-22-14, 04:27 PM

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found the ultimate fix to our smelly AC problem.

First, if you are somewhat mechanically inclined this is doable. Please note that I have taken my ATS to the dealer twice. Once for the AC fan update, once for the spray on the evaporator. (Either didn't fix the issue)

You will need a floor jack and or ramps to elevate your car. Also, go to your local Subaru dealership and ask for the evaporator foam and vent cleaner Part # SOA868V9315 $19.44 after tax here in Texas.
I used ramps to make life a little easier. Pull your car up on to the ramps or use the floor jack to elevate your car. REMEMBER TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE OR USE JACK STANDS FOR MORE SUPPORT.
Crawl underneath the driver side towards the transmission. Look around for a bit. You will see a large panel that is carpeted and a thin piece of aluminum underneath.
Remove the carpeted panel, I think there was close to 10 nuts and or bolts to remove.
Also, remove the thin piece of aluminum to expose the color of your car. My car is silver so I could see the silver paint they used to paint the undercarriage of the car.

The piece of aluminum will be a pain to get off be patient and wiggle it out of there. I just used tin snips and cut it out of the way.
After you have everything off you will see a cable on the drivers side of the transmission. That is the gear shift cable to put your car in drive or neutral etc.
Look between the cable and the body of the car mind you the ac drain tube is a ways up there. HORRIBLE DESIGN BY THE WAY FOR CADILLAC.
Use a flashlight to look up about a foot above the base of the transmission. TRUST ME IT IS THERE.
After locating the drain tube take a 12" 5/8's drive extension and tape the supplied tube that came with the cleaner purchased at Subaru. I used black electrical tape.
Place the wedge type nozzle into the end of your drain tube. Press the button on the aerosol can until about a quarter of the can has sprayed into the system.

Hold the wedge type nozzle in there for about 20 seconds so so none of the foam comes out.
After about twenty seconds or so remove the wedge type nozzle from your ac drain tube. WATCH OUT BECAUSE THAT FOAM COMES OUT IN A HURRY.
Start your car with ac fan on low. Turn the ac on so the system starts to sweat and removes most of the foam.
Careful not to have the ac fan on high as it will blow the foam out of the vents.
Repeat the process until all of the foam is gone from the can. I think I did it about four or five times just so I didn't fill the evaporator box too full of foam.
After using the entire can of foam and most of the foam has been removed from the system from condensation by the ac evaporator continue to let the ac run continuously changing the modes feet, face, defrost, feet-face.

After letting the car run for awhile (20 Minutes) all of the foam should be removed.
Next you want to pop the hood.
Place ac on recirculate in the highest fan speed.
Go to the passenger side of the car look at the base of the windshield and you will see a black plastic grate.
Spray the entire contents of the small aerosol can that came with the foam from the Subaru dealership.

Let the ac run on recirculate for about 20 more minutes. If you can stand the smell change the different modes once again to kill any remaining bacteria in the entire system ( feet, face, defrost, feet-face).
After you have completed both of those steps it is totally up to you to place the thin aluminum back under the car along with the carpeted panel.
I left mine off because it hinders the ac to drain the water properly thus creating a drain issue in return creating mold.
If you choose to re-install the panels I can't guarantee the smell will go away.
Either way let the car run for about 30 minutes or more to continue to run fresh water through the evaporator box.

All of this is information is based on my experience and end user should use caution. My ability to perform such tasks might be a little better than yours, but I think it is pretty straight forward.
If I wouldn't have been so pissed off yesterday while doing this I would have provided pictures. It's a shame I spent $44,000 on a car that the dealer can't fix properly.
This solution to the smelly ac problem is a guaranteed fix if you follow my simple steps. Also sorry I used a lot of sentences and it doesn't look fancy with italics and maybe a few spelling errors but you get the point as I am in a hurry.

Thanks,

DEVGRU

Erich_33406

04-22-14, 06:46 PM

Hi Guys and Gals. I've just dropped in on this thread as to let you know that FORD is also having the Very same issue with some of their car models.
I just traded my new 2013 Ford Red Fusion for the 2014 Red ATS.
I belong to Ford Fusion Forum where they are discussing the Very same problem with NO Fix from FORD Corp. so far. But there is Hope, as a Canadian Owner is taking them to task through their Canadian Lemon Law which is different than ours. They had a Third party Investigator look at the problem and contact Ford Corp. with his findings, which he has found a Defective part in the AC system.
Right now currently it's being researched by Ford Corp.'s team to see how best and cheaply to fix it. So far they won't even acknowledge there is a Problem. In about a month from now it will become Public Knowledge for all to see according to the Canadian Poster. It's a waiting game.

Erich_33406

04-24-14, 12:42 PM

We have this same problem. The cadillac dealer set the fan to turn on after the car is off and sprayed something in the system. It was fine for a couple weeks but has returned. We like the car, but this is unacceptable. And it does go away after startup, but we shouldn't have to deal with this on a new $40k+ car. My wife recently made another appointment to get this looked at but judging from this thread I see others have the same problem.

Not only do Other GM cars have this problem, Ford also has this same problem. So something in common with all Cars and even different Manufactures.

Here is a Quote from the Ford Thread.

Mattken Moore Posted 22 March 2014 - 03:47 PM

Well I have the report and the inspector found a defect in a part and workmanship of said part that he believes causes the smell and mold growth to happen and pass into the HVAC system in the vehicle and has stated what needs to be fixed and how. And wait for it Ford engineers are currently working on a repair!!!! .Unknown to when tho but thanks to the people that contributed. So all in all I was able to get Fords attention to this matter and hopefully this will be able to be resolved for everyone else in the future. Also the case will be coming available to public through the Canadian CAMVAP organization when the case is closed in 90days time.

Maxplot

04-24-14, 05:13 PM

Yep. Every car I have ever owned, I used to turn off the A/C about 2 blocks from the house so condensation would not collect. Now with my ATS, I just leave it on Auto all the time and I don't really think it is so bad on startup. I would not call it moldy. Like fresh cut grass after a spring rain. ;)

DEVGRU

04-24-14, 11:24 PM

Just an update to my last post about the AC fix that I recently performed on my 2013 ATS.

I haven't had any problems with the smell I previously had. It smells like a new car every time I start my car. I have noticed a big puddle of condensation under my car now that I have removed the materials covering the drip tube, so that is a great sign.

Also, if you are waiting for Cadillac to come up with a fix good luck. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and come up with your own solution to the problem.

Thanks,
DEVGRU

Erich_33406

04-28-14, 04:39 PM

Just an update to my last post about the AC fix that I recently performed on my 2013 ATS.

I haven't had any problems with the smell I previously had. It smells like a new car every time I start my car. I have noticed a big puddle of condensation under my car now that I have removed the materials covering the drip tube, so that is a great sign.

Also, if you are waiting for Cadillac to come up with a fix good luck. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and come up with your own solution to the problem.

Thanks,
DEVGRU

Very True

Maxplot

04-28-14, 10:29 PM

If you don't like the smell of your A/C when you first turn it on, hit the windshield washer a couple times. Not only will it clean the windshield, you will get the sweet smell of washer fluid coming through the vents.

drlib14

04-29-14, 05:53 PM

Well let me join the long list, here in Hot Sunny FL I always have the AC on and I have the order also at start up

So should I go back to the dealer or just live with it
been in for the brakes 3 times
Bluetooth 3 times

nyinstaller

05-09-14, 09:54 AM

sometimes I think I get a wiff of the smell but not really sure, was/ is it better after the second attempt? OH yes. but I too notice not much condensation under the car so I think the removal of the shield may be a good deal as it will remove a restriction that is obviously present.

as far as the foam that's a bit risky as if you clog the hole your screwed. but that doesn't mean the fix isn't something worth trying.

ATSAZ

05-10-14, 03:37 PM

I can attest to GM having this problem across many platforms... I've had the moldy smell in Buick's, Chevy's, GMC's, and now this 13 ATS.. Won't go into any rant about why they haven't successfully addressed this "common" issue... Disappointing? Absolutely. Frustrating? Absolutely. Weird how my girl's Infinity and MINI don't have moldy smells... So we know you can have an A/C system that doesn't smell...

Maxplot

05-10-14, 08:24 PM

I can attest to GM having this problem across many platforms... I've had the moldy smell in Buick's, Chevy's, GMC's, and now this 13 ATS.. Won't go into any rant about why they haven't successfully addressed this "common" issue... Disappointing? Absolutely. Frustrating? Absolutely. Weird how my girl's Infinity and MINI don't have moldy smells... So we know you can have an A/C system that doesn't smell...

My previous 3 cars were Infiniti's and all three had this smell. My solution was to turn the A/C off about 2 blocks from home so that the condensation would not continue to develop after I shut the car off. All cars I have ever owned have this problem. I actually think my ATS is the best of the bunch because I don't turn the A/C off at all and the smell is not as bad as my previous Infiniti's.

muskyfins

05-12-14, 11:58 AM

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found the ultimate fix to our smelly AC problem.

First, if you are somewhat mechanically inclined this is doable. Please note that I have taken my ATS to the dealer twice. Once for the AC fan update, once for the spray on the evaporator. (Either didn't fix the issue)

You will need a floor jack and or ramps to elevate your car. Also, go to your local Subaru dealership and ask for the evaporator foam and vent cleaner Part # SOA868V9315 $19.44 after tax here in Texas.
I used ramps to make life a little easier. Pull your car up on to the ramps or use the floor jack to elevate your car. REMEMBER TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE OR USE JACK STANDS FOR MORE SUPPORT.
Crawl underneath the driver side towards the transmission. Look around for a bit. You will see a large panel that is carpeted and a thin piece of aluminum underneath.
Remove the carpeted panel, I think there was close to 10 nuts and or bolts to remove.
Also, remove the thin piece of aluminum to expose the color of your car. My car is silver so I could see the silver paint they used to paint the undercarriage of the car.

The piece of aluminum will be a pain to get off be patient and wiggle it out of there. I just used tin snips and cut it out of the way.
After you have everything off you will see a cable on the drivers side of the transmission. That is the gear shift cable to put your car in drive or neutral etc.
Look between the cable and the body of the car mind you the ac drain tube is a ways up there. HORRIBLE DESIGN BY THE WAY FOR CADILLAC.
Use a flashlight to look up about a foot above the base of the transmission. TRUST ME IT IS THERE.
After locating the drain tube take a 12" 5/8's drive extension and tape the supplied tube that came with the cleaner purchased at Subaru. I used black electrical tape.
Place the wedge type nozzle into the end of your drain tube. Press the button on the aerosol can until about a quarter of the can has sprayed into the system.

Hold the wedge type nozzle in there for about 20 seconds so so none of the foam comes out.
After about twenty seconds or so remove the wedge type nozzle from your ac drain tube. WATCH OUT BECAUSE THAT FOAM COMES OUT IN A HURRY.
Start your car with ac fan on low. Turn the ac on so the system starts to sweat and removes most of the foam.
Careful not to have the ac fan on high as it will blow the foam out of the vents.
Repeat the process until all of the foam is gone from the can. I think I did it about four or five times just so I didn't fill the evaporator box too full of foam.
After using the entire can of foam and most of the foam has been removed from the system from condensation by the ac evaporator continue to let the ac run continuously changing the modes feet, face, defrost, feet-face.

After letting the car run for awhile (20 Minutes) all of the foam should be removed.
Next you want to pop the hood.
Place ac on recirculate in the highest fan speed.
Go to the passenger side of the car look at the base of the windshield and you will see a black plastic grate.
Spray the entire contents of the small aerosol can that came with the foam from the Subaru dealership.

Let the ac run on recirculate for about 20 more minutes. If you can stand the smell change the different modes once again to kill any remaining bacteria in the entire system ( feet, face, defrost, feet-face).
After you have completed both of those steps it is totally up to you to place the thin aluminum back under the car along with the carpeted panel.
I left mine off because it hinders the ac to drain the water properly thus creating a drain issue in return creating mold.
If you choose to re-install the panels I can't guarantee the smell will go away.
Either way let the car run for about 30 minutes or more to continue to run fresh water through the evaporator box.

All of this is information is based on my experience and end user should use caution. My ability to perform such tasks might be a little better than yours, but I think it is pretty straight forward.
If I wouldn't have been so pissed off yesterday while doing this I would have provided pictures. It's a shame I spent $44,000 on a car that the dealer can't fix properly.
This solution to the smelly ac problem is a guaranteed fix if you follow my simple steps. Also sorry I used a lot of sentences and it doesn't look fancy with italics and maybe a few spelling errors but you get the point as I am in a hurry.

Thanks,

DEVGRU

Does anybody know this procedure for the 2nd Gen SRX? The odor in mine is so obnoxious, I'm thinking of trading it in.

flycaster

05-12-14, 12:53 PM

I'm really not sure why folks are still having problems with the A/C smell as there is a known Cadillac fix. The drain pipe has to be lowered a bit, and they will set the blower to come on automatically (to discharge any moisture from the vents and vent tubing) for a minute or so after the car has been parked. It is my understanding that the folks at Ed Morse Caddy, Delray, FL, came up with the fix an Caddy has adopted it...Ed Morse did it for me over 6 months ago and no more smell.

muskyfins

05-13-14, 05:16 PM

@flycaster. Believe me, I'm still having problems. I am willing to just do it my self like DEVGRU did because the dealer wants to replace my heater core at the tune of $1600 on a 3 year old car! (Which I don't think will solve the problem.) My question is how much different the procedure would be for an SRX versus the ATS? I'm more than a little technical so as soon as i get a chance, I'll crawl under there and take a look I suppose.

DiabloMike

05-13-14, 06:46 PM

I'm really not sure why folks are still having problems with the A/C smell as there is a known Cadillac fix. The drain pipe has to be lowered a bit, and they will set the blower to come on automatically (to discharge any moisture from the vents and vent tubing) for a minute or so after the car has been parked. It is my understanding that the folks at Ed Morse Caddy, Delray, FL, came up with the fix an Caddy has adopted it...Ed Morse did it for me over 6 months ago and no more smell.I know of 2 local cars that have had this 'fix' performed, one at Ed Morse, and both still have the issue.

flycaster

05-15-14, 08:47 AM

I know of 2 local cars that have had this 'fix' performed, one at Ed Morse, and both still have the issue.

Well, I guess I'm one of the lucky few who have successfully had the A/C smell issue solved. With a hot, humid, summer coming upon us here in SoFL, I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

GJB

06-10-14, 08:26 PM

Just picked up my car and service ticket states "Turn on after blow feature to dry evaporator core". Asked the SA to explain he went and asked the shop Forman who said its programing they do and it has the fan blow for 40 min after the car is shut off. I asked about battery drain and was told fan draws very little so no worries. Came home shut the car off but heard no fan so its Elmer Fud "vewwy vewwy quite" or not running.

Do any of you buy this answer because I'm skeptical to say the least.

ikireland

06-11-14, 08:28 AM

Just picked up my car and service ticket states "Turn on after blow feature to dry evaporator core". Asked the SA to explain he went and asked the shop Forman who said its programing they do and it has the fan blow for 40 min after the car is shut off. I asked about battery drain and was told fan draws very little so no worries. Came home shut the car off but heard no fan so its Elmer Fud "vewwy vewwy quite" or not running. Do any of you buy this answer because I'm skeptical to say the least.

After blow is a real thing. Their description isn't exactly correct. Once the car is shut and meets certain conditions (ambient temp and what not) it will blow the blower for a short amount of time to clear any crap out of the system. It does not blow for 40 min after shutting the car off.

Afterblow Enabling
The afterblow mode can be enabled using the scan tool. The afterblow mode allows the blower motor to operate after the engine has been turned off. This operation of the blower motor dries the evaporator core, which reduces the amount of microbial growth which can create undesirable odors.

Use the following procedure in order to enable the afterblow mode:

Connect the Scan Tool.
Turn ON the ignition, with the engine OFF.
Build the vehicle with the scan tool.
Select Module Diagnosis.
Select Remote Heater and Air Conditioning Control Module.
Select Configuration/Reset Functions.
Select HVAC Afterblow Configuration.
When afterblow has been enabled by the scan tool the blower motor will operate at 68% blower speed, following the sequence below up to 5 times. This could last up to an hour:

The blower motor will be OFF for 7&ndash;11&thinsp;minutes.
The blower motor will RUN for 25&ndash;30&thinsp;seconds.
The following conditions must be met for the HVAC module to operate the afterblow:

The engine must be turned off for at least 30&thinsp;min.
The outside air temperature must be at least 21ｰC (70ｰF).
The A/C compressor must have operated for more than 2&thinsp;minutes before shut down during the latest key cycle.
The system voltage must be at least 12&thinsp;V."

nyinstaller

06-12-14, 12:41 AM

Afterblow is a joke. Waste of time

GJB

06-12-14, 07:51 AM

Afterblow is a joke. Waste of time

I have not noticed an improvement but its only been a day, I don't think the issue is water remaining on the core but in the drip pan. My other cars leave a puddle of water under the car in the garage after I park. The ATS does not but when I back out my driveway which is pretty steep I can see a long trail of water draining and this is right after the car is started.

GJB

06-12-14, 09:24 PM

I know of 2 local cars that have had this 'fix' performed, one at Ed Morse, and both still have the issue.

Mike, Did they do the afterblow and the drain or just the afterblow. On my car they just did the afterblow and I still have it.

----------

After blow is a real thing. Their description isn't exactly correct. Once the car is shut and meets certain conditions (ambient temp and what not) it will blow the blower for a short amount of time to clear any crap out of the system. It does not blow for 40 min after shutting the car off.

Afterblow Enabling
The afterblow mode can be enabled using the scan tool. The afterblow mode allows the blower motor to operate after the engine has been turned off. This operation of the blower motor dries the evaporator core, which reduces the amount of microbial growth which can create undesirable odors.

Use the following procedure in order to enable the afterblow mode:

Connect the Scan Tool.
Turn ON the ignition, with the engine OFF.
Build the vehicle with the scan tool.
Select Module Diagnosis.
Select Remote Heater and Air Conditioning Control Module.
Select Configuration/Reset Functions.
Select HVAC Afterblow Configuration.
When afterblow has been enabled by the scan tool the blower motor will operate at 68% blower speed, following the sequence below up to 5 times. This could last up to an hour:

The blower motor will be OFF for 7–11 minutes.
The blower motor will RUN for 25–30 seconds.
The following conditions must be met for the HVAC module to operate the afterblow:

The engine must be turned off for at least 30 min.
The outside air temperature must be at least 21ｰC (70ｰF).
The A/C compressor must have operated for more than 2 minutes before shut down during the latest key cycle.
The system voltage must be at least 12 V."

ikireland, It works as described, About 30 Min after I got home I was in the garage and heard it come on for about 30 seconds. Unfortunately I noticed no improvement from before I took it in :(

Erich_33406

06-12-14, 09:38 PM

It's MY OPINION, This seems to be a Universal Problem. Over at Ford they have started a Air Condition Mold smell Fix on their cars by doing the following on FORDS Only.
Again this is for FORD's Problem.

FORD SERVICE PROCEDURE
1. Replace the Climate Control Housing. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 412-00.
a. Transfer the components from the old housing to the new housing as needed.
PART NUMBER
PART NAME
EG9Z-19B555-C
Climate Control Housing - Manual Air Conditioning
EG9Z-19B555-D
Climate Control Housing - Dual Zone Auto Temp Control
W714878-S439
Steering Column Shaft-To-Steering Column Pinch Bolt
OPERATION
DESCRIPTION
TIME
140099A
2013-2014 Fusion: Replace The Climate Control Housing (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)
6.0 Hrs.
140099A
2013-2014 Fusion Hybrid: Replace The Climate Control Housing (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)
6.6 Hrs.
140099A
2013-2014 Fusion Hybrid Plug In: Replace The Climate Control Housing (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)
6.8 Hrs.
140099A
2013-2014 MKZ: Replace The Climate Control Housing (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)
7.4 Hrs.
140099A
2013-2014 MKZ Hybrid: Replace The Climate Control Housing (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)
7.7 Hrs.

GJB

06-12-14, 10:41 PM

So what has changed AC in cars have been around for 5O years. This is the first car out of 15 thathas had this issue?

Bertha D Blues

06-13-14, 09:17 AM

GJB, it may take a while for the mold spores and bacteria to die with just the afterblow. I had the moldy smell last year but haven’t noticed it yet this season.

About 12-14 years ago I had the same problem with my F150. I used a product called Frigi-Clean, which is an aerosol that must be sprayed into the evaporator case to coat the whole coil. It kills bacteria, mold, etc. In my truck, I had easy access through the motor resistor opening. I haven’t looked for access in the ATS yet. The bottom line is that I still have that truck and the smell never returned. That’s with summer humidity levels here in corn country matching those in southern Florida.

One more thing, Packard was first to offer AC in their cars 74 years ago. Bert

flycaster

06-13-14, 09:41 AM

Must say I had the A/C smell issue, but after it was fixed (my dealer-Ed Morse, apparently came up with GM's now accepted solution-lower the drain to be level with the pan's bottom without taking the dash apart...I think the after-blow comes from GM), the smell is gone here in SoFL. Lucky me!

Hoosier Daddy

06-13-14, 11:16 AM

So what has changed AC in cars have benn around for 5O years. This is the first car out of 15 thathas had this issue?
But the execution (actual part design) is going to be different between cars. I thought at least some of these problems are due to a drain hose being installed wrong causing water to stand instead of drain. I wouldn't be surprised if all of this was caused by that. The fact is manufacturers are perfectly happy to use a mask-the-problem fix if its cheaper than the proper fix. I'm not saying its the case, but if its dirt cheap to reprogram some after-blow than replace or move a hose that's buried and if that gets rid of x% of the complaints, they would do that.

probee773

06-16-14, 09:41 AM

So, my dealer says that they cannot turn on afterblow in my car because my car doesn't have this option (base 2.0T, auto + CUE). Isn't this just a software update? Do I need to find another dealer?

GJB

06-16-14, 09:54 AM

Look at poat#98 and ask your dealer about the Scan tool and bring that info with you.

DEVGRU

06-17-14, 12:55 AM

Just another update: It has been some time since I did the repair I posted. I still have fresh air in my car and the car is still draining condensation from the bottom of the car like it should. If anyone else has done the ac repair following the steps I provided, please feel free to post it. I'd like to know if you had success like I did. Thanks!

DEVGRU

GTO to ATS

06-18-14, 12:10 AM

Did anyone take theirs in to the dealer and after they deorderize it have the car faintly smells like the musty smell at all times, not just the first 10 seconds the AC is on? Its no where near as strong as what it smelt like in those first 10 seconds (it doesnt get worse upon first turning on the AC) but its still noticeable...even when the car is off.

probee773

06-20-14, 06:25 PM

So, my dealer says that they cannot turn on afterblow in my car because my car doesn't have this option (base 2.0T, auto + CUE). Isn't this just a software update? Do I need to find another dealer?

Ok, so my ATS falls in this weird gap where the after-blow feature wasn't installed from the factory. See the article on the bottom left of page 6 of this link: http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/January-Techlink-2013-F.pdf. My dealer followed these instructions, and now, I have after-blow! Let's hope this helps the issue (even a little) especially since I live in Florida, and it's starting to get hot and humid down here. ;-)

GJB

06-24-14, 09:57 PM

Took my ATS back to dealer for the musty odor because after blow did not correct the problem. Ticket states they repositioned drain tube and coated evaperator coil with cooling coil coating per PI1160A. Sure hope this fixes it.

Does anyone know what cooling coil coating is?

CTSCHICK

06-24-14, 10:17 PM

Does anyone know what cooling coil coating is?

It is an acrylic based coating that is supposed to prevent airborne and moisture based bacteria, mold & mildew from building up on or sticking to the cooling coil preventing odor.

GJB

06-25-14, 08:32 AM

It is an acrylic based coating that is supposed to prevent airborne and moisture based bacteria, mold & mildew from building up on or sticking to the cooling coil preventing odor. Which makes a lot of sense. I wonder why its not applied prior or during the build.

rsingl

06-25-14, 10:52 AM

I wonder how much the coating interferes with heat transfer to the coil? Maybe the effect is offset by reduced debris buildup on the coil/fins.

GJB

06-25-14, 01:23 PM

According to a manufacturer no interference. Check out this link very informative and It looks like they may make the AC DELCO version of this. http://www.airsept.com/index.php?loadmod=cccfaq

Bertha D Blues

06-25-14, 02:08 PM

Ticket states they repositioned drain tube and coated evaperator coil with cooling coil coating per PI1160A.

Does the service receipt note how long the repair took? I’m curious whether they removed your dash or dropped the trans or some other invasive tactic. Mine is going in soon for a recall and this is on my list. Bert

GJB

06-25-14, 02:23 PM

I'll look and let you know. I doubt they removed the dash it was only there 1.5 days and I had an alignment and recall inspection during the visit. I believe they went through the glove compartment to spray the coating (glove box and passenger seat had some minor grease/dirt marks from the tech). And in this post someone did the cleaning/coating themselves and they said you could at least see the drain from where that shifter cable runs so maybe they could reach it? Fly states they dropped the trans on his. Car was taken for a 10 Mile test drive after so they very well may have.

Update: Asked SA and she said "He had to go under the dash and pull the side panel off to gain access to the evaporator"

This seems to apply to adding the coating but doess not jive with anything else I've read on the drain tupe issue, so not too confident

Update day 2 and still OK!

CTSCHICK

06-26-14, 05:42 AM

According to a manufacturer no interference. Check out this link very informative and It looks like they may make the AC DELCO version of this. http://www.airsept.com/index.php?loadmod=cccfaq

That is the OEM, GM relabels and use's quite a few of their products.

GJB

06-27-14, 08:02 AM

Ticket states they repositioned drain tube and coated evaperator coil with cooling coil coating per PI1160A.

Does the service receipt note how long the repair took? I’m curious whether they removed your dash or dropped the trans or some other invasive tactic. Mine is going in soon for a recall and this is on my list. Bert

Bert From my ticket it looks like time is listed as units and 1.10 was next to the AC fix and .90 for the recall work.

flycaster

06-27-14, 08:37 AM

Ticket states they repositioned drain tube and coated evaperator coil with cooling coil coating per PI1160A.

Does the service receipt note how long the repair took? I’m curious whether they removed your dash or dropped the trans or some other invasive tactic. Mine is going in soon for a recall and this is on my list. Bert

Mine was fixed by Ed Morse in Delray, FL. As far as I know this was the dealership that came up with a fix that GM adopted. The fix did not entail removing the dash. They had to lower the tranny and exhaust. Since the fix, about many months ago, no problems with smell even though here in SoFL the A/C is used all the time.

JSATS

07-07-14, 08:50 AM

I'm having the same problem with my 14 ATS. The smell is disgusting and it's embarrassing to have anybody ride in our car. My wife has had a cough for about a Month now and she feels like she has a chest cold. We are now thinking she is suffering from some kind of mold in her lungs. We brought it to our dealer last week and they said there was mold in the system so they deodorized it and sprayed some stuff. We drove the car the next day and it still was disgusting. We have been driving with the windows open hoping the smell will go away. We are bringing the car back this morning hoping they will clean it out better. Maybe it will take some time for the system to clear out and the smell to go away? Either way I'm not going to use air freshener or anything else to mask the smell, I want the mold gone!

flycaster

07-07-14, 10:17 AM

I'm having the same problem with my 14 ATS. The smell is disgusting and it's embarrassing to have anybody ride in our car. My wife has had a cough for about a Month now and she feels like she has a chest cold. We are now thinking she is suffering from some kind of mold in her lungs. We brought it to our dealer last week and they said there was mold in the system so they deodorized it and sprayed some stuff. We drove the car the next day and it still was disgusting. We have been driving with the windows open hoping the smell will go away. We are bringing the car back this morning hoping they will clean it out better. Maybe it will take some time for the system to clear out and the smell to go away? Either way I'm not going to use air freshener or anything else to mask the smell, I want the mold gone!

As you can see from previous posts (search the forum), this was/is a problem with the 2013 ATSs. However, you will also see that there is a fix (reposition the drain tube) that GM has adopted. Don't know if this applies to the 2014s, but you should let your dealership know about it and see what they say.

nyinstaller

07-07-14, 10:56 AM

my car has been into the dealer for every (FIX) Or not so fixed attempts. My car still stinks and not only that the adapted After blower feature is annoying. when I turn my ac off I shouldn't still feel a blower on my face as well as when the ac is off and the after blower is on that's when it smells the worst. Or shall I say if there is mold That's when It is blowing directly into the cabin air.

AS someone just posted I too have a lingering cough that doesn't seem to want to go away, can it be coincidental I drive the car everyday? that's not a question just putting it out there. Maybe if enough people are experiencing the same it holds truth. I know there is mold in my system, I smell it. does anyone know take home method of testing? as its apparent GM is not going to fix the issue. and the supposed fixes may work for others but not for me. My dealership (Robin H @coral Cadillac in pompano beach) has been great but if you are working with crap no matter what the outcome is going to be crap. Think about it. its a defective design on someones part and the Whole after blower to dry the coils isn't cutting it.

I too notice the evaporator Drain doesn't seem to drain that much. I am in south florida its 90 degrees there is no reason a puddle shouldn't form under my car. and as much as the AC can Freeze your fingers in this car Its amazing how it doesn't evaporate more.

SOMETHING IS BLOCKING IT. time to put it on my lift and see what I see.

GM CUSTOMER CARE monitoring this thread. IS there any way to remove the after blower nonsense now that it has been activated? IT DOES NOT WORK AND IS Annoying. Can the addition be reversed If you can get me a BCM update TIS code I can do it my self. I want that feature removed. Yes I have tis access and a MDI.

GJB

07-07-14, 05:28 PM

nyinstaller, The after blow feature they activated turns the blow motor on about 30 min after you shut the car off under specific conditions and runs for 30 SEC at about 70% speed than it repeats it a couple of times over the next hour.

nyinstaller

07-07-14, 06:17 PM

That is not the only times it comes on. I have opened my door and sat in it without starting the car and after it sat all night and all of a sudden the blower will come on. So I think the programing is Not quite what it seems. either way it doesn't work as the mold smell is still apparent. and id like the bcm code to set it back. as well as I have one of those Air fresheners with the little fan on it. and you can watch this thing steadily move minutes after the ac has been turned off while I continue to drive with the windows up. so something is pushing air through it to make it move and Im not blowing on it. If I remove from the vent it stops moving almost instantly there for the blower is still active. at a low speed but active.

GJB

07-07-14, 06:59 PM

Sounds like something is not working correctly, It did not fix the brief musty odor on my car either. They supposedly repositioned my drain tube and put a coating on the coil. It's better now although not great. Sometimes I get the moldy odor and sometimes I don't?

Cadillac Cust Svc

07-08-14, 12:47 PM

my car has been into the dealer for every (FIX) Or not so fixed attempts. My car still stinks and not only that the adapted After blower feature is annoying. when I turn my ac off I shouldn't still feel a blower on my face as well as when the ac is off and the after blower is on that's when it smells the worst. Or shall I say if there is mold That's when It is blowing directly into the cabin air.

AS someone just posted I too have a lingering cough that doesn't seem to want to go away, can it be coincidental I drive the car everyday? that's not a question just putting it out there. Maybe if enough people are experiencing the same it holds truth. I know there is mold in my system, I smell it. does anyone know take home method of testing? as its apparent GM is not going to fix the issue. and the supposed fixes may work for others but not for me. My dealership (Robin H @coral Cadillac in pompano beach) has been great but if you are working with crap no matter what the outcome is going to be crap. Think about it. its a defective design on someones part and the Whole after blower to dry the coils isn't cutting it.

I too notice the evaporator Drain doesn't seem to drain that much. I am in south florida its 90 degrees there is no reason a puddle shouldn't form under my car. and as much as the AC can Freeze your fingers in this car Its amazing how it doesn't evaporate more.

SOMETHING IS BLOCKING IT. time to put it on my lift and see what I see.

GM CUSTOMER CARE monitoring this thread. IS there any way to remove the after blower nonsense now that it has been activated? IT DOES NOT WORK AND IS Annoying. Can the addition be reversed If you can get me a BCM update TIS code I can do it my self. I want that feature removed. Yes I have tis access and a MDI.

Hello nyinstaller,

I understand the concerns you have related to your health. Your safety is our first priority and I apologize you are experiencing this. As I am not a technician, I am unable to provide technical advice but I would be happy to contact your dealership on your behalf. Please private message me with more information regarding this concern. Please include your contact information, VIN, mileage and preferred dealership. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Katie O.
Cadillac Customer Care

Bertha D Blues

07-08-14, 02:41 PM

nyinstaller, If you go the test-kit route you should get 2 kits. Mold is everywhere, inside and out but it’s the concentration of mold spores that can affect you. Use one kit to sample the air in your car. Use the second kit to sample the ambient air near where you park for long periods. You should compare the results between the two samples to see if there is a higher in-car concentration. My car is in the shop now to, hopefully, fix my problem. Bert

nyinstaller

07-09-14, 03:43 PM

I don't really think there is a link. Could there be sure I'm in the car enough I was just posting because it was coincidental someone else said the samething.

If it gets worse ill be going to dealer again and this time they will have to replace coil as there is nothing else left. However do I want them to pull the dash, not so much. So we'll see. I don't have the patience to do the whole mold test.

tahawk69

07-09-14, 04:46 PM

I was wondering why the ac stunk so bad and it is a moldy smell. I for sure will not use the ac anymore when my 8 month old daughter is in the car. It can't be good for her little lungs. Hopefully gm will do the right thing and provide a correct fix for this issue especially if this could be a potential health hazard.

khs604

07-14-14, 04:12 PM

Can someone tell me which side of the car the condensation is supposed to drain out. I run my car in auto mode a lot but never see any water on the ground. I had the after blow feature activated and the dealer got rid of the moldy smell. Seems to be working so far.

GJB

07-14-14, 04:17 PM

Drivers side around the fire wall.

off1c3r

07-25-14, 01:59 AM

Does anyone have a TSB or any related information regarding how to fix this with the 2014's? My dealer won't do anything without a TSB. I'm going to have to leave the car overnight and hope they realize and see whats going on. Even then, they have no TSB to go off of since the existing one was only for 2013s..

Check to see if the repair included use of new parts that were manufactured by a third party. I ask this because my SA told me that there is a new fix that utilizes third party part(s), and that they are presently on order at his place. My dealership, Ed Morse-Delray, FL, was the one that supposedly came up with the "level-the drain-pipe" fix that didn't remove the dash. I had that fix done a while ago and it did appear to work, but I'm now experiencing some smell so I'll be back in two week for the new fix.

Cadillac Cust Svc

07-30-14, 12:42 AM

Does anyone have a TSB or any related information regarding how to fix this with the 2014's? My dealer won't do anything without a TSB. I'm going to have to leave the car overnight and hope they realize and see whats going on. Even then, they have no TSB to go off of since the existing one was only for 2013s..

Hi off1c3r,

I知 sorry that you are having difficulties resolving this A/C smell issue with your dealership. If you would like some extra assistance when you take your ATS in, please PM me with your VIN, mileage, dealership name, and contact information and I値l gladly reach out to them on your behalf.

Have a great night,

Austin J.
Cadillac Customer Care

Kwagner115

07-30-14, 10:51 PM

Hi off1c3r,

I知 sorry that you are having difficulties resolving this A/C smell issue with your dealership. If you would like some extra assistance when you take your ATS in, please PM me with your VIN, mileage, dealership name, and contact information and I値l gladly reach out to them on your behalf.

Have a great night,

Austin J.
Cadillac Customer Care

My wife took her 2014 ATS to the dealer today with same problem. Musty smell when first starting car with air con on. They said there was nothing wrong. There is most definitely a musty small. Very Disappointed they did not take my wife seriously while she was there and I am now forced to get involved. Not how I expected them to treat my wife. Or anyone else for that matter!

This problem is real as proven by the numerous comments and complaints found here and other threads. And the fact Cadillac themselves by participating here acknowledge something isn't right.

Any assistance or guidance you can provide to resolve this situation would be greatly appreciated.

Kevin

carpenter

08-16-14, 11:31 AM

Posting from my phone here so I haven't gone back to reread all the posts. My car is in for the smell as well. My dealer talked with TAC who said that they had a file to download to program the after blow correctly. Apparently this is an issue depending on your VIN. TAC was confident this would fix the ac smell. I pick the car up today. I'll post my findings in say a week. Again, I haven't read the whole post here so maybe this has been done before.

Last time my dealer dealt with TAC they found the resolution for the voice commands switching to long prompt issue. Something many people in the community were wanting a fix for. Hopefully this issue is this simple.

nutoz

08-16-14, 07:07 PM

Well I finally have the moldy or sour smell on start up on my 2013 ATS. Took in Friday and talked to SA and mentioned that this issue has been posted on forum and I did not think there were "official TSBS" and mentioned other ideas. He looked at me with deer in the head light look. So he calls back 2days later and tells me that GM is recommending coating the evaporator coil. I ask him to is he coating the coil or the drain pan. He had no idea. He stated that if this does not work then need to explore further as even taking the dash apart.. They sound CLUELESS. they said they are also checking if there were some kind of pre fan mode programmed but were having computer issue.does any one know what this mode is?. What are they coating except some kind of coil cleaner to remove mold from coil and pan.!!
I am not confident that they will resolve this issue
Will update when I hear from the dealer

SCATS

08-16-14, 09:25 PM

I had it last week..dealer here in Detroit took car of it.. Problem solved in a one hour visit so far.. It was actually some sort of deodorizer I believe .. Mine hasn't had any moldy smell as of this post..

carpenter

08-17-14, 12:30 AM

I had it last week..dealer here in Detroit took car of it.. Problem solved in a one hour visit so far.. It was actually some sort of deodorizer I believe .. Mine hasn't had any moldy smell as of this post..

The deodorizer will work for a while, but if they don't fix what causes the smell there's a good chance it will come back. Mine was good for about 4 months. Today they reprogrammed the HVAC module for after blow.

Maxplot

08-17-14, 02:56 PM

At my oil change I mentioned the A/C odor, but more importantly I was concerned that I have never seen condensation drain out under my car. I was more concerned about where the evaporator condensation was going. So my dealer checked into it and found a bulletin to replace the A/C drain hose. (Bulletin PI1160B). To replace A/C drain tube, 4480138 - Removed Transmission to access A/C drain tube. Removed tubes - installed new drain.

The dealer listed over 10 hours of labor to do that. I still do not see any water draining out of the car while the A/C is on. I still have a little odor. I just hope that in the future I don't find that evaporator area rusting out.

flycaster

08-17-14, 03:42 PM

At my oil change I mentioned the A/C odor, but more importantly I was concerned that I have never seen condensation drain out under my car. I was more concerned about where the evaporator condensation was going. So my dealer checked into it and found a bulletin to replace the A/C drain hose. (Bulletin PI1160B). To replace A/C drain tube, 4480138 - Removed Transmission to access A/C drain tube. Removed tubes - installed new drain.

The dealer listed over 10 hours of labor to do that. I still do not see any water draining out of the car while the A/C is on. I still have a little odor. I just hope that in the future I don't find that evaporator area rusting out.

Your fix was the fix that my dealership developed and was adopted by GM. I had it done a while ago and now after several months, I think I am again detecting a moldy smell. Told my SA about it and he said that there now is an additional fix that required third party parts. I'm waiting the new parts to have the job done.

100%_N1

08-17-14, 04:22 PM

At my oil change I mentioned the A/C odor, but more importantly I was concerned that I have never seen condensation drain out under my car. I was more concerned about where the evaporator condensation was going. So my dealer checked into it and found a bulletin to replace the A/C drain hose. (Bulletin PI1160B). To replace A/C drain tube, 4480138 - Removed Transmission to access A/C drain tube. Removed tubes - installed new drain. The dealer listed over 10 hours of labor to do that. I still do not see any water draining out of the car while the A/C is on. I still have a little odor. I just hope that in the future I don't find that evaporator area rusting out.

I can't remember who said it or where, but they mentioned that the condensation is designed to drip on the hot exhaust after the pan. This is supposed to evaporate all the condensation. Others have noted that if you park on an incline facing uphill then you'll see the condensation drip because it doesn't hit the exhaust. Take that for what it's worth.

Cadillac Cust Svc

08-18-14, 12:57 PM

Well I finally have the moldy or sour smell on start up on my 2013 ATS. Took in Friday and talked to SA and mentioned that this issue has been posted on forum and I did not think there were "official TSBS" and mentioned other ideas. He looked at me with deer in the head light look. So he calls back 2days later and tells me that GM is recommending coating the evaporator coil. I ask him to is he coating the coil or the drain pan. He had no idea. He stated that if this does not work then need to explore further as even taking the dash apart.. They sound CLUELESS. they said they are also checking if there were some kind of pre fan mode programmed but were having computer issue.does any one know what this mode is?. What are they coating except some kind of coil cleaner to remove mold from coil and pan.!!
I am not confident that they will resolve this issue
Will update when I hear from the dealer

Hello nutoz,

I understand how frustrating this must be. I am happy to provide additional assistance while you are working with the dealership. Just send me a private message with your VIN, contact information, mileage and the dealership you're having the vehicle serviced at.

Katie O.
Cadillac Customer Care

----------

Posting from my phone here so I haven't gone back to reread all the posts. My car is in for the smell as well. My dealer talked with TAC who said that they had a file to download to program the after blow correctly. Apparently this is an issue depending on your VIN. TAC was confident this would fix the ac smell. I pick the car up today. I'll post my findings in say a week. Again, I haven't read the whole post here so maybe this has been done before.

Last time my dealer dealt with TAC they found the resolution for the voice commands switching to long prompt issue. Something many people in the community were wanting a fix for. Hopefully this issue is this simple.

Hello carpenter,

Please keep us all updated on the repairs. I'm sure your fellow forum members are curious to hear what the resolution is and if it is successful. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like assistance.

Katie O.
Cadillac Customer Care

flycaster

08-18-14, 01:08 PM

Some of these Cadillac dealerships are from another planet. Only explanation I can think of when they can't find the fix for the A/C smell. I don't know about other dealerships, but Ed Morse Cadillac Delray, FL has the fix. Have your guys call them....(888) 469-2898

carpenter

08-18-14, 01:26 PM

Some of these Cadillac dealerships are from another planet. Only explanation I can think of when they can't find the fix for the A/C smell. I don't know about other dealerships, but Ed Morse Cadillac Delray, FL has the fix. Have your guys call them....(888) 469-2898

2 days now and no smell anymore in mine. Didn't have to take anything apart on the car at all.

GJB

08-20-14, 11:37 AM

I have had the blower program and the drain tube repositioned and evaporator coated. Odor came back, next trip in I will ask about the 3d party part fix. Fly let us know how it goes when yours comes in. Latest issue is front camera service warning keeps coming on. glass is clean and lane departure warning is working so not sure what it could be.

Zl700

08-20-14, 01:04 PM

Some of these Cadillac dealerships are from another planet. Only explanation I can think of when they can't find the fix for the A/C smell.

It's not always an easy fix.

Google "Dirty Socks Syndrome" it's a common problem in autos and home AC systems.

Cadillac Cust Svc

08-20-14, 07:42 PM

I have had the blower program and the drain tube repositioned and evaporator coated. Odor came back, next trip in I will ask about the 3d party part fix. Fly let us know how it goes when yours comes in. Latest issue is front camera service warning keeps coming on. glass is clean and lane departure warning is working so not sure what it could be.

Hi GJB,

I知 sorry to hear that initial repair did not remedy the A/C odor concern. Please keep us updated on your next dealership visit, and feel free to PM me if you would like an additional layer of customer assistance when you head in.

Enjoy your evening,

Austin J.
Cadillac Customer Care

nutoz

08-20-14, 11:06 PM

ok dealer called Monday and stated that moldy odor was fixed. first thing they said they did was check afterblow enable ( he stated that my VIN indicated it was already enabled) document ID 2382151.
second they performed #99-01-39-004F AC ordor ( install evaporator core dryer it and apply coil coating) ( july 30, 2014) document ID 3955947 . this bulletin applies to 2015 and prior GM products.
this is a 4 page fix that looks to require lot of labor including in some cases drilling holes in the evaporator housing.when returning to house, AC did have cleaning agent smell ( very slight).
that evening on restart did get a faint moldy ordor but ran the fan on high thinking that might help removing residual ordor. this morning my wife stated she did not detect any moldy ordor.
I will keep checking rest of the week and will post update. also notice for the first time a condesation on my drive way when idling.

Katie O thanks for your offer of help on this matter but i will give some time and if I see that odor issue has not been remedied then I will PM you with all the info.

Bertha D Blues

08-21-14, 09:09 AM

nutoz, I had the same treatment as you. Afterward, the odor was still detectable but diminished with each hot humid day. I suspect that condensate was washing off any remaining residue from the coils. It seems fine now (knock on wood). Bert

oemtech

08-21-14, 12:46 PM

I really can't believe that Cadillac doesn't have a solution for this problem as it is not new to the A/C world. The issue is a dirty evap coil caused by the repeated use of the A/C. As it cools the incoming air it as removes moisture. This causes the contaminates in the air (dust, pollen etc) to collect on the coils. Over time mold spores start to multiple and you now get a bad smell at start up. The only way to correct this is to clean the coils. Just to show what I mean here is a photo of one of my A/C's on my RV before cleaning. Your looking at about 4 years of usage.

Now once you get all of stuff scrubbed off it will look like this. You need to be careful of what cleaning solution you use as it will be the smell you get for a few days after cleaning. You also have to be real careful in cleaning the fins as they are almost like tissue paper and with bend in a heart beat.

The real problem for cars is there is no real easy access to the evap coils.

nutoz

08-21-14, 07:19 PM

nutoz, I had the same treatment as you. Afterward, the odor was still detectable but diminished with each hot humid day. I suspect that condensate was washing off any remaining residue from the coils. It seems fine now (knock on wood). Bert

Thanks for sharing and giving me hope that this problem is cured. Smell seemed to be diminished quite a bit

Cadillac Cust Svc

08-22-14, 02:14 PM

Hi nutoz,

Very happy to hear that the dealership was thorough while addressing your A/C odor. Hopefully, this will have resolved the issue. If it comes back or you have any lingering questions, you know how to reach us.

Enjoy your day,

Austin J.
Cadillac Customer Care

flycaster

08-25-14, 05:21 PM

Have already had the drain level fix, but several months later, the smell has come back...but only slightly. But who want any smell at all? So, I just came back from having another fix done. Sure smells good and i hope it lasts. Here's what was done:

After the first visit, the smell came back. The deodorizer lasted probably 2 days. I went again and left the car for a week. They said they replaced the air filter and deodorized. I'm a few days into it and I'm not sure if I'm smelling the old odor or just the deodorizer. It smells like 20% odor and 80% deodorizer. In any case, the smell came back within a day or two in the first attempt. At least now its taking a bit longer. I'll see what happens.

ikireland

09-18-14, 10:51 PM

Thought I smelt something yesterday on my way to work, went away shortly with windows down, got in this morning, was pretty rank. Conveniently enough I am a service writer so I got to work and wrote an RO on the car for the smell, we are swamped right now (damn recalls) so prolly won't get in the shop until best week. I will report back once we look at it. I'm sure it's going to be the standard after blow and clean and oil condenser etc. after that if it comes back I'll just write another RO and see. The crappy thing is that bulletin for the drain tube reposition or whatever only applies to a '13 and I have a '14 so we technically can't reference that and expect to get paid. So we will see. Time will tell!

bdwalters

09-19-14, 01:17 AM

What happens if y'all keep the car in recirculate mode?

quaraong

09-19-14, 01:35 AM

Mine persists with recirculate or not

MiamiATSwOr

09-28-14, 02:39 PM

Have already had the drain level fix, but several months later, the smell has come back...but only slightly. But who want any smell at all? So, I just came back from having another fix done. Sure smells good and i hope it lasts. Here's what was done:

I took my 13 ATS to Ed Morse Delray Cadillac to have this moldy AC issue fixed a couple of weeks ago and they claim they preformed the same fix. Right when I picked up my car I noticed a strong deorderizer/cleaner smell, I was told it would dissipate in a couple of days.

The smell did go away in a couple of days but was replaced buy the smell of burnt plastic every time I use the AC. Shortly after that the mold smell came back as well, so where I originally just had the mold/mildew smell before the fix I now have a burnt plastic and mold and mildew after the fix.

rriddle3

09-28-14, 10:13 PM

My ATS is in for some warranty work and they gave me a new CTS as a loaner. You think the A/C smells bad in an ATS? Wait until you smell the system in the new CTS. WOOF! It gags me for about 15 seconds.

smitty846

09-28-14, 10:28 PM

Are all of you guys with moldy A/C in humid areas? I'm in the northeast and my car smells great. Just curious if there's a common denominator here.

quaraong

09-29-14, 01:32 PM

i think so

Are all of you guys with moldy A/C in humid areas? I'm in the northeast and my car smells great. Just curious if there's a common denominator here.

----------

when you say "new cts loaner", did u mean 2014 new or 2015 new?

My ATS is in for some warranty work and they gave me a new CTS as a loaner. You think the A/C smells bad in an ATS? Wait until you smell the system in the new CTS. WOOF! It gags me for about 15 seconds.

GJB

09-29-14, 10:19 PM

Observation. My evaporator coil was replaced with a different part # than the original and since then I notice a lot more water drainage (good size puddle) when I pull into the garage and the humidity level has gone down since summer. I never had this before I only used to get a few drips when going up my driveway which is on and incline. I always felt that part of the bad musty smell was that the pan was holding too much water because my ATS never drained like my other car. Now it drains just as much. Purely speculation on my part but there seems to be a link. It has not been long enough to declare the issue resolved so I would not recommend this procedure unless it was a last resort and your dealer was even willing to do it. It was about a 2 week process, 1 week to do the work and a 2d trip/week to fix all the problems I found after.

rriddle3

09-30-14, 09:17 AM

when you say "new cts loaner", did u mean 2014 new or 2015 new?
It's a 2014.

quaraong

09-30-14, 11:00 AM

yeah, when I got the cts 2014 loaner while my ats is worked on, I also did notice the strange AC smell. However, in my case it was better than my ATS. It was confirmed that the AC issue is found across both ATS and CTS for 2014. Wondering if any one out there get a 2015 loaner and see if the AC is fixed.

on another note, the cts loaner had another "even worse" problem: AC "recirculate" mode doesnt work right. the road from home to work has a section that smells really bad. I always have to turn on "recirculate" to prevent this smell from entering the cabin. well, guess what, the smell still enters the cabin even though the ac was on "closed loop". also wondering if this is a widespread issue with 2014 cts....

It's a 2014.

GJB

09-30-14, 11:18 AM

I drove a 2015 ATS loaner for a week and it had about 1500 miles on it and it did not have the A/C issue that I had on my 13 and others have on their 14. Car may have been too new to have developed it but my guess is they made a change.

rriddle3

09-30-14, 05:19 PM

Got mine back today from the dealer for warranty issues, one of them being the A/C smell. The invoice says, "Microbial build-up. Coated evaporator coils, enabled afterblow module per TSB# 99-01-39-004F."
We'll see how it works from this point.

Jeremiah Dane

10-01-14, 05:22 PM

I just scheduled an appointment to have this issue resolved also. Fortunately, they know about the 'fix' and will adjust the blower settings. My question is: should I insist on tube relocation as well, or take it one step at a time?

GJB

10-01-14, 08:31 PM

JD there are different steps. Step one is to enable the after blow which I believe many MY 14 already have enabled. Next is the coating of the evaporator coil and the repositioning of the drain tube should be part of that. The 3d I understand is to add the electric heater and maybe a different coating. I have not seen any real conformation that any of the above have solved the issue?

Ask your SA if repositioning of the drain tube is part of the TSB they will perform. As for one step at a time I think your dealer has little choice but to attempt it that way.

Cadillac Cust Svc

10-03-14, 12:54 PM

Hello Jeremiah Dane,

Please feel free to keep us updated after your dealership appointment. You can reach out to us via private message to further discuss your situation. We are always happy to assist anyway that we can.

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

oemtech

10-03-14, 11:07 PM

Mine goes in Monday...

Cadillac Cust Svc

10-06-14, 11:55 AM

Hi MiamiATSwOr,

I recognize your situation is frustrating, and I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. If you would like to further discuss your concerns, please feel free to send a private message that includes your full contact information and VIN.

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Care

danic

10-10-14, 08:10 PM

I purchased my 2014 ATS in July. By September I noticed a strong musty almost cat urine like smell every time I started the car. I have since taken my car in 3 times for repairs. The first time they told me that the air conditioner's condensation was dripping in a pan and that was not draining. The pan was remaining full and that the water had accumulated mold, mildew...ect. They installed an after blow to try and dry out the pan so it would not accumulate mold and bacteria. When I picked the vehicle up I still detected the problem. They admitted they still smelled it too. They also revealed that many ATS cars are experiencing this and the other had been in multiple times to try and fix the problem. They said they called a GM rep and they told them the problem is more prevalent in the south where the air conditioners run more. The second time in the dealer said they sprayed the pan with a special coating to try to keep it from growing mold. The deodorizer they sprayed was so strong upon entering the vehicle, it made my eyes water and gagged me. It smelled like an old hotel room that was sprayed to try to cover up some awful smell. I had to return the car. I also noticed that they used a half tank of gas and when I inquired about this the dealer said they had to run the car for a couple of hours with the heater on high to spray the coils with this deodorizer which was the recommendation from the GM rep. He said he would keep the car this time and continue to do that to see if it would help with the problem. I am so frustrated and disappointed. This is my fourth Cadillac. I have previously owned 3 CTSs and loved everyone. I hope this problem is resolved and that my new car is not permanently scarred with this odor. They said that GM is looking for a permanent fix and they are still experimenting on cars down south to resolve the problem. I hope my story has a happy ending! Has anyone else had this problem resolved satisfactorily?

GJB

10-11-14, 01:17 PM

danic, Some have had an electric heater installed by their dealers to dry it out but I've not heard conformation that it was a fix and I believe 1 member noticed a burning smell when it was on? You can PM flycaster who lives in FL and ask how his worked out. On my car they replaced the evaporator coil. I understand they used a different part than the original (probably is manufactured with the coating?). This was a major event where the entire dash comes out and I do not recommend anyone do this unless it turns out to be a last resort. I also I will not be able to confirm it worked probably until next summer since it cooled off here right after the repair. I know dealers do not want to do this job and I'm sure GM does not either. I recommend give it some time and waiting to see what GM can come up with that will be less intrusive. My dealer did a good job but there are multiple visits back to correct things and there is a high risk for damage in the process. In the mean time buy some BG Frigi Fresh and see if that helps while we all wait.

flycaster

10-11-14, 03:03 PM

So far, so good. It has been unusually hot and muggy this summer, but it does appear that the last A/C fix is still working...

quaraong

10-11-14, 04:12 PM

how long has it been working Fly? 3 months now?
So far, so good. It has been unusually hot and muggy this summer, but it does appear that the last A/C fix is still working...

flycaster

10-11-14, 07:29 PM

how long has it been working Fly? 3 months now?

About 6-7 weeks.

GJB

10-11-14, 07:56 PM

Great news fly, keep us all up to date. I sure wish my dealer had tried that tsb before replacing the evap coil. That said GM tech support are the ones who said to do it? About 4 weeks on mine and all is good but I've only been able to drive the car for 2 Weeks between back in the shop and being out of town.

PAO56

10-24-14, 02:40 PM

13 ATS here...and I always run the climate control on auto....never a problem with the smell.....in the national capital region here....

oemtech

10-25-14, 12:48 AM

The real problem is the drain system is bad. 99% of the time when back out of my garage and stop little wife get in the car I end puddle of water in my drive. Why I have about 30 degree incline on my drive. I confirmed this with Cadillac mechanic that was at the mile.

GJB

10-25-14, 09:41 AM

The real problem is the drain system is bad. 99% of the time when back out of my garage and stop little wife get in the car I end puddle of water in my drive. Why I have about 30 degree incline on my drive. I confirmed this with Cadillac mechanic that was at the mile.

Drain is clearly a significant part of the problem, Before dealer replaced my evap coil little to no drainage except when on an incline, I also have a bout 30 degree incline drive. After the replacement I get a large puddle under the car when level in the garage. And so far smell has not returned.

quaraong

10-25-14, 05:06 PM

i nver noticed any water puddle below the car. no wonder why mine smels bad

Drain is clearly a significant part of the problem, Before dealer replaced my evap coil little to no drainage except when on an incline, I also have a bout 30 degree incline drive. After the replacement I get a large puddle under the car when level in the garage. And so far smell has not returned.

quaraong

10-25-14, 06:18 PM

since the last 3 weeks, the weather has been cooler in Houston. My AC starts off with low fan speed due to the lower external temperature (it's always on AUTO mode). I did not exercise the "circulate air" because thr smell is already there, what is the point?!
Because the fan was auto started to low, it takes a while for the smell to go away. It's really getting on my nerve now because I have to keep manually max out the fan, raise the temperature setpoint, then set auto, then lower the temperature setpoint to quickly get this smell off my nose.

I am contacting Austin of Cadillac Customer Service so that he can relay my request of applying the fixes that worked for flycaster and GJB: coil coating and evap coil replacement. I was advised to not "act like a smart ass" at the dealer. So hopefully Austin can help. damn AC...

bluztoo

10-26-14, 02:35 PM

Yeah - had my 13 in twice. The second time they realized they had to replace the evap canister. The smell of the stuff they use to flush the system after replacement is a bit tough but it goes away and then things are fine.

SFVetteman

10-26-14, 03:09 PM

The evap cannister is part of the evaporative emission control system, not the AC. Under certain circumstances, it can cause a smell if it's not operating properly but it is a different smell and unrelated to the moldy AC smell.

Bill

GJB

10-26-14, 05:29 PM

I'm sure he meant evaporator coil and it sounds like it was coated not replaced.

quaraong

10-27-14, 01:43 PM

so the SA said that those bulletin I gave him (from what was done on flycaster 13 ats) have already been done at factory for the 14 ats. not sure if that is true but there is no way I can verify that, can I ?!
he also said that GM is close to releasing a "true fix" of ionizing coil? ( or sth like that). so again, there is nothing I can do but wait.
well, he told me the same thing about the supposedly coming out improved engine mount to fix the vibration 2 months ago. guess what?! nothin is out yet. so this "true fix" might come in months, or years, or maybe ... never.
very disappointed....

GJB

10-27-14, 04:24 PM

If your fan comes on high about 20 to 30 min after you shut your car down than that is enabled. As for what has been applied to the MY14? I do believe the blower On was added but as far as coating the coil and drain tube re position I do not know and I doubt the electric heater was added to the 14 builds? I'm sure GM is trying to come up with a solution but as to when it will be available is anyone's guess. I'm still waiting for CUE updates/Apps, mounts, and seat belt replacements from the recall.

quaraong

01-20-15, 05:19 PM

just got a call from my sa, he said that his source told him that GM has found a true fix for the moldy ac. Its coming out in mid february. lets keep hopes up!

Lorne

03-18-15, 02:09 PM

Does anyone know if they have come out with a successful fix to the moldy A/C?

flycaster

03-18-15, 03:00 PM

I think my fix was successful: Re-leveled the drain, auto blower, and a couple of other things I don't recall.

bdwalters

03-18-15, 04:41 PM

They sprayed my coil and turned on the afterblow. I haven't had a problem since, but I wonder if that will remain true once we get through the bridge season, when the heat and AC are both being used on and off.

craigd13

03-18-15, 05:10 PM

Here's the repair bulletin:

4480118 99-01-39-004E
A/C ODOR ELIMINATOR

Mention this to your Cadillac dealership and ask for the repair. Mine was done Jan 28th at a dealership in northern NJ. I have a 2014 2.0T with AWD.

GJB

03-18-15, 05:13 PM

do you know what steps they take?

Lorne

03-18-15, 08:31 PM

My drain was fine and blower didn't help. They put in a vaporizer but that blew perfume which just masked it and itself caused other problems. Someone said here that they were coming out with a new fix in Feb. Anyone know if they did?

quaraong

03-19-15, 04:20 PM

yeah, unfortunately, flycaster fix only applis to 2013. My dealer refused to fix my 2014 citing GM has told them not to ! and I have to wait for a "permanent solution". very disappointed.

----------

urs is 2013 right?

Here's the repair bulletin: 4480118 99-01-39-004E A/C ODOR ELIMINATOR Mention this to your Cadillac dealership and ask for the repair. Mine was done Jan 28th at a dealership in northern NJ.

khs604

03-19-15, 04:49 PM

They sprayed my coil and turned on the afterblow. I haven't had a problem since, but I wonder if that will remain true once we get through the bridge season, when the heat and AC are both being used on and off.
They did this fix to mine about nine months ago but the odor came back as soon as the weather warmed up and I used the a/c more often. Same fix again. This will be a recurring problem until GM finds a permanent fix. I wonder how much this will cost when the warranty runs out?

Lorne

03-19-15, 06:21 PM

Mine is a 2013. Had it in on 3 occasions so far. It used to smell on start up only, now it only starts smelling when it warms up, and it doesn't go away.

quaraong

03-20-15, 06:47 PM

damn, now the smell doesnt go away after driving?!! jesus GM!

Mine is a 2013. Had it in on 3 occasions so far. It used to smell on start up only, now it only starts smelling when it warms up, and it doesn't go away.

craigd13

03-20-15, 09:56 PM

Quarong, no, mine is a 2014 AWD turbo.

quaraong

03-21-15, 02:46 AM

Thank you craigd13. I will mention the bulletin you mentioned to my dealer!

Quarong, no, mine is a 2014 AWD turbo.

----------

btw, what is the name of your dealership?

Quarong, no, mine is a 2014 AWD turbo.

craigd13

03-22-15, 02:40 AM

Quarong, It's serviced @ Englewood Cliffs Cadillac in NJ.

bdwalters

04-14-15, 10:21 AM

Does anybody see any patterns for when the smell improves or gets worse? Both times, I've gotten the smell in the bridge season.

1. Does running the AC less help?
2. Does running the AC more help?
3. Does it get worse during rainy/humid days, or is the smell more dependent on how the AC is being used?
4. Is the smell lasting a longer time after startup as time passes?

Right now I've got the vents setup to blow at my feet and I do remote start so I don't have to smell the first stinky blast. My main fear is that the situation will get worse such that it smells all of the time. That would be a mess.

quaraong

04-14-15, 11:32 AM

my dealer still refuses to apply ur fix stating GM decision. Some on the forum pointed out that ur fix included afterblow and coating which already failed in several cases. Maybe thats why GM dont want to do it on my car. :(

Quarong, It's serviced @ Englewood Cliffs Cadillac in NJ.

----------

I am not sure what you mean by "running ac less/more". r u referring to the number of times its runnin? the duration of time its runnin? or the intensity its runnin?

in any case, turn off the ac eliminates the smell. On mine, the funky smell lasts about 2 mins on ac "half-blast" and 1 min on ac "full-blast". all this only occurs when outside temp is at least 90. The lower the temp, the less the smell.

However, some others have stated that their smell lasts a very long time, even eternity...

Does anybody see any patterns for when the smell improves or gets worse? Both times, I've gotten the smell in the bridge season. 1. Does running the AC less help? 2. Does running the AC more help? 3. Does it get worse during rainy/humid days, or is the smell more dependent on how the AC is being used? 4. Is the smell lasting a longer time after startup as time passes? Right now I've got the vents setup to blow at my feet and I do remote start so I don't have to smell the first stinky blast. My main fear is that the situation will get worse such that it smells all of the time. That would be a mess.

Billm0066

04-14-15, 06:11 PM

Mine is doing it. It lasts for about 10 seconds when the car is first started and the blower is on. It doesn't matter if the ac is running or not, so I guess it will go to the dealer this week or next.

Billm0066

04-30-15, 08:34 AM

I took mine in and they applied the afterblow, coating, and a heater I believe. I had the perfume smell which wasn't bad actually and I hate artificial smells. The smell is now back on startup again so it's going back. Has there been any updates?

----------

Also can someone explain where the mold is accumulating? Mine smells a little like mold and other things that can only be described as very unpleasant.

Stumeat

04-30-15, 10:40 AM

When I run heat, I get what I can only discribe as "old lady" or moth ball smell. Does this sound like what is being discussed here, or do I have some random air freshener or something stashed up in my heater assy? (Just purchased used '13)

Thanks

DavidATS

04-30-15, 01:54 PM

Does anybody see any patterns for when the smell improves or gets worse? Both times, I've gotten the smell in the bridge season.

1. Does running the AC less help?
2. Does running the AC more help?
3. Does it get worse during rainy/humid days, or is the smell more dependent on how the AC is being used?
4. Is the smell lasting a longer time after startup as time passes?

Right now I've got the vents setup to blow at my feet and I do remote start so I don't have to smell the first stinky blast. My main fear is that the situation will get worse such that it smells all of the time. That would be a mess.

My normal operation has the system on "recycle" of the air and I feel like this should help and also be more efficient. A/C is then drying and cooling air that is much dryer and cooler than outside air. When close to my house (when I remember), I turn off the A/C and turn off the recycle so the air is just drying it it out and the system is no longer pulling moisture out of the air. I leave it off of recycle when parked so the system has a better chance of drying out. I also don't have a garage (some are very hot and humid) and live in Cincinnati (not like living in Houston) so I think this helps.

I have always run the A/C on recycle so this isn't a special operation for this car.

Ragtop 99

04-30-15, 06:47 PM

I have always run the A/C on recycle so this isn't a special operation for this car. I run recycle mostly and it didn't help in my case.

Cadigirl60

05-17-15, 09:46 AM

Wow, I too have this problem with my 2014 ATS, so glad I found this forum, I have been thinking is was just something in my car exclusive. So after reading has GM came up with a permanent fix to the problem, I am not in a position to replace the car and I shouldn't have to drive a brand new car for the next four or five year that smells like this or is potentially putting my health at risk inhaling this mold. Everyone who gets into my car remarks about the smell which is embarrassing.

bdwalters

05-17-15, 04:13 PM

The smell in mine has actually improved lately. It's still there, but it's really mild and doesn't last more than a few seconds. It's been between 70-90 degrees and very humid. I have been running the AC a fair amount. I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't come back when it gets hotter.

Billm0066

05-18-15, 11:43 AM

Mine was good right after the fix, but came back within a few days. However it seems to have improved really well from the initial fix. I'm using my ac daily because it's 80-90's in NC.

clempot911

05-27-15, 06:04 PM

Come to think of it, I have never seen a puddle of water under my ATS with the A/C on like I see with my other cars. Where is the evaporator drain tube?

hadijeh

07-20-15, 11:37 PM

I have a 2014 XTS and have the same problem. Last Wed the dealer "deodorized" the system. Lasted a day. Additionally, my a/c cycles off and on every several minutes. Mold smell off and on. Also when the heat is on at 80degrees, it holds the heat for 4 sec then goes cold for about 10 sec, etc. all the time smelling of mold. The dealer told me that GM published something about the mold.

nyinstaller

07-26-15, 03:19 AM

According to gm website there is a another "fix" out as of this month. Contact your dealer

GJB

07-26-15, 09:56 PM

Does anyone know what the new "fix'' procedure is?

Billm0066

07-27-15, 08:09 AM

Mine is going in Wednesday, but I'm going to call today and see if they know what the fix is.

Billm0066

07-27-15, 02:47 PM

My dealer said it;s a deodorizer. Mine is going in Wednesday.

thedead

07-27-15, 04:58 PM

According to gm website there is a another "fix" out as of this month. Contact your dealer

lol what are they actually doing in that car?
That's what it takes to get to the heater core.

celmem

07-28-15, 10:56 AM

That's what it takes to get to the heater core.

Yikes, are you serious?
I would even want the thing back after being all butchered up... it'd never be the same.

thedead

07-28-15, 02:06 PM

That's what it takes to get to the heater core.

no way, you have to be kidding. *

Are there any alternatives?*

Hoosier Daddy

07-28-15, 03:37 PM

no way, you have to be kidding. *

Are there any alternatives?*
Unfortunately no. Its worse than Walleye Vision where a multioptipupiloptomy is the only cure.

And while I kid a lot, that picture really is what a dealer had to do to fix the moldy smell problem.

GJB

07-28-15, 05:11 PM

Unfortunately no. Its worse than Walleye Vision where a multioptipupiloptomy is the only cure.

And while I kid a lot, that picture really is what a dealer had to do to fix the moldy smell problem.

That's what they did to my car to fix it. I do not believe they removed the seats but the entire dash did come out. The only thing you notice afterwards is the smell is gone and A/C condensation off the evaporator drains like a normal car should. No squeaks rattles and fit is perfect. That said it took multiple trips back to get it that way.

pever

07-28-15, 05:16 PM

I have had the whole dash removed twice... And yes put back twice... And not a mark or rattle. Both times for a $50 part re the heater.

thedead

07-28-15, 05:34 PM

Well mine usually only happens on AC startup... Are the current fixes permanent and work properly?*

clempot911

07-29-15, 08:22 PM

One thing you can try - turn off the a/c (leave the fan on) for the last few minutes of your trip. Yes, it is a hassle - but it works.
The dealer can also turn on an option that allows the fan to run for a few minutes after you turn the car off thus drying out the evaporator core. I just turn the a/c off.

jackie0717

07-29-15, 10:47 PM

Sounds *this is a common problem. The dealer started the car and let it run before he opened up the interior for me. He obviously knew there was an odor. Should I take it to a dealer that sales only Cadillac?

Billm0066

07-30-15, 08:21 AM

I took mine in yesterday for the ionizer. They cleaned the evaporator and installed the part, so hopefully this takes care of it.*

Part used were
plug 15632415
module kit 23328151
filter 13356914

thedead

07-30-15, 10:33 AM

I took mine in yesterday for the ionizer. They cleaned the evaporator and installed the part, so hopefully this takes care of it.*

Part used were
plug 15632415
module kit 23328151
filter 13356914

I wonder if they had to disassemble as per the pictures above to apply that fix

bdwalters

07-30-15, 10:59 AM

I'm also curious. Mine doesn't smell that bad right now, so I think I would rather live with the smell than the risk of taking the entire car apart. Ugh...*

mgatepi

07-30-15, 01:51 PM

Well I am sad to say I am back on this forum again!! We fought the smell / mold issue all last summer and now we are doing it again!! I am fed up with this. My dealer has told me as of 7/14 GM came out with another round of spray on solutions.....wow. I have ZERO faith in this after going through what we did last summer. My wife has Asthma and she no longer wants to drive this car......
Anybody try the new fix? Let me guess it smells like a cleaner with a little bit of good smell scent?

Lorne

07-30-15, 04:01 PM

I'm also curious. Mine doesn't smell that bad right now, so I think I would rather live with the smell than the risk of taking the entire car apart. Ugh...*

I agree that you should live with it,and not risk it getting worse when they open it up.

khs604

07-30-15, 04:56 PM

I got the ionizer installed a couple days ago too. I was also told they used some kind of new coating in the evaporator. Fingers crossed but I'll know in a month or so if it works.

myATS

07-30-15, 05:07 PM

Which dealer did you go to? I need to bring mine in.

quaraong

07-30-15, 08:38 PM

I have already given up all hopes of getting it fixed! However, I have succesfully trained myself into the habbit of remote-starting everytime. Now I dont smell it anymore coz by the time I get in the car, the smell is gone. lesson I have learnt: test drive ANY Caddy in hot summer to ensure no moldy ac problem! apparently this is wide-spread among gm cars.

Well I am sad to say I am back on this forum again!! We fought the smell / mold issue all last summer and now we are doing it again!! I am fed up with this. My dealer has told me as of 7/14 GM came out with another round of spray on solutions.....wow. I have ZERO faith in this after going through what we did last summer. My wife has Asthma and she no longer wants to drive this car...... Anybody try the new fix? Let me guess it smells like a cleaner with a little bit of good smell scent?

Billm0066

07-30-15, 10:17 PM

I wonder if they had to disassemble as per the pictures above to apply that fix

No, unless they had superman working on my car. They changed my oil, rotated the tires, and did the fix in the same day. 6 hours or less actually.*

CaptSoloNJ

07-30-15, 10:28 PM

Are you all sure that using a few days of Lysol doesn't work? Spray into the vents a for few days upon startup.

I think the Lysol also sanitizes and kills bacteria.

bdwalters

07-30-15, 11:33 PM

I think that will work for a little while, but the mold just grows back.*

Part numbers on last page match Billm0066's list (note ionizer is listed as "limited supply"). Anxious to hear from ionizer recipients to see if/how this fixes issue, as I have same problem in my 2014.

LouB2B

08-01-15, 10:56 AM

Had mine done this past week. Was in for 2 days. Replaced outside passenger side rear view mirror because it was vibrating. Put Teflon on driver seat right side to stop squeak between the seat and center console. Did the ionizer fix. Seat is still squeaking, mirror is not vibrating and no hint of moldy smell on startup. 2 out of 3 isn't bad. We'll see how the odor issue is in a month. Other than these 3 issues I am enjoying the ATS. 9,000 miles since March 1, 2015.

Part numbers on last page match Billm0066's list (note ionizer is listed as "limited supply"). Anxious to hear from ionizer recipients to see if/how this fixes issue, as I have same problem in my 2014.

I hope the '16s come with this from the factory. That's quite a retrofit process to be doing in the field.